**Executive Summary**
This document is an answer given on 03.12.2025 in Lok Sabha to unstarred question No. 658 regarding the Ariyalur-Erode broad gauge line. While Ariyalur-Erode is already connected via Tiruchchirapalli, Karur, a survey for the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for a new line between Ariyalur to Namakkal via Perambalur (116 km) has been sanctioned, and the field survey has been completed. A significant factor affecting project timelines is land acquisition, which requires support from the Government of Tamil Nadu.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **New Line Proposal:**
* A survey for DPR for a new 116 km line from Ariyalur to Namakkal via Perambalur has been sanctioned.
* The field survey for the DPR has been completed.
* **Project Sanctioning and Funding:**
* Project sanctioning requires consultation with stakeholders, including State Governments, NITI Aayog, and the Ministry of Finance.
* Exact project timelines cannot be fixed due to the continuous and dynamic sanctioning process.
* Budget allocation for infrastructure projects and safety works in Tamil Nadu has increased significantly, with ₹6,626 crore allocated for 2025-26, more than 7.5 times the 2009-14 allocation.
* **Tamil Nadu Railway Projects:**
* As of 01.04.2025, 15 projects (9 New Line, 3 Gauge Conversion, 3 Doubling) totaling 1,700 km and costing ₹22,808 crore are sanctioned in Tamil Nadu.
* 665 km of the sanctioned length has been commissioned, with an expenditure of ₹7,591 crore incurred up to March 2025.
* **Land Acquisition Delays:**
* Project execution in Tamil Nadu is delayed due to land acquisition issues.
* Out of 4,326 Ha of land required for projects in Tamil Nadu, 1,052 Ha (24%) has been acquired, and 3,274 Ha (76%) is yet to be acquired.
* The Rameshwaram - Dhanushkodi New Line (18 Km) project is stalled due to the State Government of Tamil Nadu failing to undertake land acquisition.
* **Factors Affecting Project Completion:**
* Project completion depends on factors such as land acquisition, forest clearance, shifting of utilities, statutory clearances, geological conditions, law and order, and working months available.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Ministry of Railways**
* **Impact**: The Ministry is responsible for executing railway projects and ensuring connectivity. The Ministry’s success depends upon the support of the Government of Tamil Nadu and must address factors such as land acquisition, forest clearance, shifting of utilities, statutory clearances, geological conditions, law and order, and working months available.
* **Action Required**: The Ministry should facilitate consultation with State Governments, NITI Aayog, and the Ministry of Finance.
**Stakeholder: Government of Tamil Nadu**
* **Impact**: The Tamil Nadu government is critical for land acquisition, which affects the timely execution of railway projects.
* **Action Required**: The Government of Tamil Nadu needs to expedite land acquisition for railway projects and provide support to the Ministry of Railways.
**Stakeholder: General Public/Citizens of Tamil Nadu**
* **Impact**: Delays in project execution due to land acquisition and other factors impact the availability of improved railway infrastructure and connectivity.
* **Action Required**: None explicitly stated in the document.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Railways: The primary government body responsible for the formulation and administration of railway transport policies in India, and the direct subject of the parliamentary question.
Tamil Nadu: The State where the proposed railway projects are located, and thus significantly impacted by the decisions and execution of those projects, particularly regarding land acquisition.
Detailed Project Report (DPR): A comprehensive document required for project sanctioning, detailing aspects like survey results, cost estimates, and project feasibility.
Ariyalur-Erode Broad Gauge Line: The specific railway project that is the subject of the initial parliamentary question.
NITI Aayog: An important governmental think tank which needs to appraise and approve the railway projects.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 658
ANSWERED ON 03.12.2025
ARIYALUR-ERODE BROAD GAUGE LINE
658. SHRI MATHESWARAN V S:
Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:
(a) the present status of proposal for new broad gauge line for 108
km connecting Ariyalur with Erode via Perambalur, Thuraiyur and
Thathaiyengarpet, Tiruchengodu; and
(b) whether there is delay in executing the projects despite
construction wing of the Southern Railway undertook study in
2018 and if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND
ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)
(a) and (b): Ariyalur–Erode are already connected via Tiruchchirapalli,
Karur on the existing Railway network. However, to further augment
the connectivity, a survey for preparation of Detailed Project Report
(DPR) for new line between Ariyalur to Namakkal via Perambalur
(116 km) has been sanctioned and the field survey has been
completed.
…2/--2-
After firming up of Detailed Project Report (DPR), sanctioning of
project requires consultation with various stake-holders including
State Governments and necessary approvals viz. appraisal of NITI
Aayog, Ministry of Finance etc. As sanctioning of projects is a
continuous and dynamic process, exact timelines cannot be fixed.
Tamil Nadu
Budget allocation in the recent years has increased significantly.
Budget allocation for infrastructure projects and safety works, falling
fully/partly in the State of Tamil Nadu is as under:
Period Outlay
2009-14 ₹ 879 crore/year
2025-26 ₹ 6,626 crore (more than 7.5 times)
As on 01.04.2025, 15 projects (9 New Line, 03 Gauge Conversion and
03 Doubling) of 1,700 Km length, costing ₹22,808 Crore, falling
fully/partly in the State of Tamil Nadu, are sanctioned, out of which
665 Km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of ₹7,591
Crore has been incurred upto March’ 2025. The summary is as
under:-
Category No. of Total Length Expenditure
sanctioned Length Commissioned upto Mar’ 25
projects (in Km) upto Mar’25 (₹ in Cr.)
(in Km)
New Line 9 812 24 1,337
Gauge Conversion 3 748 604 3,471
Doubling / 3 140 37 2,783
Multitracking
Total 15 1,700 665 7,591
…3/--3-
Details of some of the recently completed projects falling fully/partly in
Tamil Nadu are as under :
Cost
S.
Project (₹ in
N.
Crores)
1 Dindigal-Palani-Pollachi Gauge Conversion (121 Km) 610
2 Pollachi-Palghat Gauge Conversion (56 Km) 350
3 Pollachi-Podhanur Gauge Conversion (40 Km) 400
4 Quilon - Tirunelveli - Tiruchendur Gauge Conversion
1,122
(357 Km)
5 Mayiladuturai - Thiruvarur - Karaikkudi Gauge
1,338
Conversion (187 Km)
6 Madurai-Bodiyakannur Gauge Conversion (90 Km) 593
7 Chengalpattu-Villupuram Doubling (102 Km) 670
8 Tiruvallur-Arakkonam 4th line (27 Km) 83
9 Chennai Central-Basin Bridge Doubling (2 Km) 31
10 Thanjavur-Ponmalai Doubling (48 Km) 370
11 Villupuram-Dindigul Doubling (273 Km) 2,000
12 Chennai Beach-Korukkupet 3rd line (5 Km) 168
13 Chennai Beach-Attipattu 4th line (22 Km) 293
14 Omalur-Metturdam Patch Doubling (29 Km) 327
15 Chengalpattu - Villupuram and Tambaram -
1,122
Chengalpattu-3rd line (133 Km)
16 Salem-Magnesite Junction-Omalur Doubling (11 Km) 115
17 Madurai- Maniyachi-Tuticorin Doubling (160 Km) 1,891
18 Maniyachi-Nagercoil Doubling (102 Km) 1,752
19 Chennai Beach-Chennai Egmore Doubling (4 Km) 272
20 Karaikal-Peralam New line (23 Km) 373
21 Northern End Port connectivity to Karaikal Port 18
(1 Km)
Some of the projects falling fully / partly in the State of Tamil Nadu
…4/--4-
which have been taken up are as under :
Cost
S.N Project
(₹in Crores)
1 Tindivanam-Nagari new line (184 Km) 3,631
2 Morappur-Dharmapuri new line (36 Km) 359
3 Nagapattinam-Tiruturaipundi new line (43 Km) 742
4 Trivandrum-Kanyakumari Doubling (87 Km) 3,785
5 Arakkonam yard 3rd & 4th line (6 Km) 98
In last three years i.e. 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25 and current financial
year 2025-26, 28 surveys (05 New Line and 23 Doubling) covering a
total length of 2,493 Km has been sanctioned falling fully/partly in the
State of Tamil Nadu.
Execution of important infrastructure projects falling fully/partly in the
State of Tamil Nadu are held up due to delay in land acquisition.
Status of land acquisition in Tamil Nadu is as under:
Total Land required for Projects in Tamil Nadu 4,326 Ha
Land Acquired 1,052 Ha (24%)
Balance Land to be acquired 3,274 Ha (76%)
Support of the Government of Tamil Nadu is needed to expedite the
land acquisition.
Details of some major projects which are delayed due to land
…5/--5-
acquisition are as under:-
SN Name of the project Total land Land Balance
required acquired Land to be
(in Ha) (in Ha) acquired
(in Ha)
1. Tindivanam - Tiruvannamalai 276 33 243
new line (71 Km)
2. Attiputtu - Puttur new line 1 8 9 0 189
(88 Km)
3. Morappur-Dharmapuri new line 92 45 47
(36 Km)
4. Mannargudi-Pattukkottai new 196 0 196
line (41 Km)
5. Thanjavur-Pattukottai new line 152 0 152
(52 Km)
Further, Rameshwaram – Dhanushkodi New Line (18 Km) was
sanctioned at a cost of ₹734 Cr. The Foundation Stone of the project
was laid on 01.03.2019. However, the project could not be started
because the land acquisition has not been undertaken by the State
Govt. of Tamil Nadu.
Government of India is geared up to execute projects, however
success depends upon the support of Government of Tamil Nadu.
Sanction of any railway project depend upon many parameters/factors
which include the following:
Anticipated traffic projections and remunerativeness of the
proposed route
…6/--6-
First and last mile connectivity provided by the project
Connection of missing links and providing additional route
Augmentation of congested/saturated lines
Demands raised by State Governments/Central Ministries/Public
representatives,
Railway’s own operational requirements
Socio-economic considerations
Overall availability of funds
Completion of Railway project/s depends on various factors which
include the following:
Land acquisition by State Government
Forest clearance
Shifting of infringing utilities
Statutory clearances from various authorities
Geological and topographical conditions of area
Law and order situation in the area of project site
Number of working months in a year for particular project site
etc.
All these factors affect the completion time and cost of the project/s.
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