**Executive Summary**
This document is a response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 603 regarding the Chennai-Mahabalipuram-Cuddalore Railway Line, to be answered on 03.12.2025. It provides details on the status of the project, fund allocation, surveys, and land acquisition status, focusing on projects falling within Tamil Nadu. It also outlines factors affecting project completion and the need for State Government support in land acquisition.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Chennai-Cuddalore Railway Line Project:**
* The Chennai - Cuddalore railway line via Mamallapuram, MaraKanam, and Puducherry (179 km) was included in Budget 2008-09.
* The Government of Puducherry requested a change in alignment.
* **Budget Allocation for Tamil Nadu:**
* Budget allocation for infrastructure projects and safety works in Tamil Nadu has significantly increased.
* Allocation increased from ₹879 crore/year (2009-14) to ₹6,626 crore (2025-26).
* **Project Status in Tamil Nadu:**
* As of 01.04.2025, 15 projects (9 New Line, 3 Gauge Conversion, 3 Doubling) of 1,700 km length, costing ₹22,808 crore, have been sanctioned.
* 665 km has been commissioned with an expenditure of ₹7,591 crore up to March 2025.
* **Recently Completed Projects in Tamil Nadu (Examples):**
* Dindigal-Palani-Pollachi Gauge Conversion (121 km): ₹610 Crores
* Villupuram-Dindigul Doubling (273 km): ₹2,000 Crores
* Madurai- Maniyachi-Tuticorin Doubling (160 km): ₹1,891 Crores
* **New Projects in Tamil Nadu (Examples):**
* Tindivanam-Nagari new line (184 Km): ₹3,631 Crores
* Morappur-Dharmapuri new line (36 Km): ₹359 Crores
* Trivandrum-Kanyakumari Doubling (87 Km): ₹3,785 Crores
* **Land Acquisition Issues:**
* Execution of infrastructure projects in Tamil Nadu is delayed due to land acquisition issues.
* Out of 4,326 Ha required, 1,052 Ha (24%) has been acquired, with 3,274 Ha (76%) still needed.
* **Projects Delayed Due to Land Acquisition (Examples):**
* Tindivanam-Tiruvannamalai new line (71 Km): 243 Ha of land still to be acquired.
* Attiputtu-Puttur new line (88 Km): 189 Ha of land still to be acquired.
* **Factors Affecting Project Completion:**
* Land acquisition by State Government
* Forest clearance
* Statutory clearances
* Geological conditions and many others.
* **Government of India:**
* The Government of India is geared up to execute projects
* Success depends on the support of the Government of Tamil Nadu for expediting land acquisition.
**Impact Analysis**
**Tamil Nadu State Government**
* **Impact:** The Tamil Nadu State Government is essential for the execution and timely completion of railway projects within the state.
* **Action Required:** The State Government needs to expedite land acquisition to prevent further delays in project execution. It is required to support and facilitate land acquisition process to ensure projects are completed successfully.
**Residents of Tamil Nadu**
* **Impact:** Improved rail infrastructure could positively affect commuters, trade, and development.
* **Action Required:** No direct action is required from the residents of Tamil Nadu.
Key Entities Referenced
Chennai-Mahabalipuram-Cuddalore Railway Line: Proposed new railway line, the subject of the parliamentary question, connecting Chennai, Mahabalipuram, and Cuddalore.
Ministry of Railways: The central ministry responsible for the development and maintenance of the railway infrastructure, and answering the question about the railway line.
Tamil Nadu: The state where a significant portion of railway projects are located, and where land acquisition issues are impacting project timelines.
Puducherry: Union territory connected by the proposed railway line. The Government of Puducherry requested for change in alignment of the project.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 603
TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.12.2025
CHENNAI-MAHABALIPURAM-CUDDALORE RAILWAY LINE
603. DR. M K VISHNU PRASAD:
Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:
(a) the present status of new railway line from Chennai to Cuddalore
via Mahabalipuram;
(b) the details of fund allotted and survey taken for the said project;
(c) whether the Government is aware that this Chennai-Cuddalore
new railway line via Mahabalipuram will be a profitable line as it
will be connecting the IT Hub of Chennai with the Southern Tamil
Nadu and if so, the details thereof; and
(d) whether the said proposal will be taken up in the coming year
and if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND
ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)
(a) to (d): Chennai - Cuddalore via Mamallapuram, MaraKanam,
Puducherry (179 Km) new line project was included in Budget 2008-09.
Government of Puducherry had requested for change in alignment
towards Northern and Southern side of Villupuram – Puducherry
…2/--2-
existing line as well as doubling of track between Puducherry and
Cuddalore. State Government was requested to bear additional Cost
due to above revision in alignment and doubling of tracks. However,
the State Govt. has shown their inability to bear additional cost of the
project.
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 :
S. Cost
Project
N. (₹ in 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 (357
1,122
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)
…4/--4-
Some of the projects falling fully/partly in the State of Tamil Nadu 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.
…5/--5-
Details of some major projects which are delayed due to land
acquisition are as under:-
SN Name of the project Total Land Balance
land acquired Land to
required (in Ha) be
(in Ha) acquired
(in Ha)
1. Tindivanam-Tiruvannamalai new 276 33 243
line (71 Km)
2. Attiputtu-Puttur new line (88 Km) 189 0 189
3. Morappur-Dharmapuri new line 92 45 47
(36 Km)
4. Mannargudi-Pattukkottai new line 196 0 196
(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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