Railways takes up survey on revised ECR alignment

PUDUCHERRY: The Union railway ministry has taken up a final survey on the revised alignment of the 179.28km east coast railway line project connecting Chennai and Cuddalore via Mamallapuram, Marakanam and Puducherry at an estimated cost of 2,670 crore, said Union railways, communications, electronics, and information technology minister Ashwini Vaishnav.
Furnishing a written reply to the queries posed by Puducherry MP V Vaithilingam (Congress) in Lok Sabha, Vaishnav said the Puducherry government requested for change in alignment towards the northern and southern sides of the existing Villupuram-Puducherry line as well as doubling the tracks between Puducherry and Cuddalore.
The ministry asked the Puducherry government to bear the additional cost due to revision in alignment and doubling of tracks. However, the Puducherry government expressed its inability to bear additional cost of the project due to revision in alignment following which the ministry took up the final location survey on revised alignment. He said the ministry has provided 50 crore for the fiscal year 2023-24.