Union minister of state for railways Rajen Gohain will lay the foundation stone for the works for doubling of tracks and electrification of Kanyakumari-Nagercoil-Thiruvananthapuram section at Nagercoil Junction Railway station on Tuesday.

The construction work for the 86.56km line is estimated at Rs 1431.90 crore. Cabinet committee on economic affairs had approved the project in August last year. The work to be implemented by Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd is expected to be completed in four years.

The doubling and electrification project was proposed as a solution to the delay in train traffic movement in the sector, especially Thiruvananthapuram-Nagercoil section.

In addition to expediting the operation of goods and coaching trains, the project also provides additional capacity for the increase in traffic in future. The Vizhinjam seaport project is likely to be complete by 2019 and bring good revenue to the railways.

“It is estimated that after the completion of the Vizhinjam seaport, 30% of its traffic is likely to be handled by railways. Considering the terrain, the construction work in the Nagercoil section will be easier than Thiruvananthapuram, which has gradients and require land acquisition from inhabited area,” said an official from Thiruvananthapuram railway division.

Rajen Gohain will also inaugurate the construction works in the 160km Madurai-Vanchi Maniyachchi-Tuticorin section and 102km Vanchi-Maniyachchi-Tirunelveli-Nagercoil section in the function and passenger amenities such as escalator, LED lighting and WiFi service at Nagercoil station.