The land acquisition for new rail route from Thoothukudi to Madurai via Aruppukottai is gaining momentum with the district administration handing over 24 acres of land on Monday.
Twenty-four acres land acquired from private land owners for the laying of the new railway route from Tuticorin to Madurai through Aruppukottai was handed over to the Madurai Division of Southern Railways by the Tuticorin District Administration on Monday.
District collector N Venkatesh handed over certificate for the acquired land to the executive engineer (construction) of Southern Railways S Chandru Prakash.
The land, running for 8.5 km, in Vadakkusilukanpatti, Saminatham and Sillanatham is part the first phase of land for the 18.7-km on Milavittan-Melamarudur section. The total cost of the land in the entire stretch is ₹100 crore.
The project is to lay new rail line for 143.5 km.
Collector N. Venkatesh here on Monday handed over the land acquisition certificate to S. Chandru Prakash, Executive Engineer (Construction), Southern Railway. The required land would be acquired in three phases.
The railways have planned to complete the 143.5 km track laying project in three sections. The first phase, which is the smallest phase, covering 18.7 kms from Milavittan to Melamaruthur is estimated to be completed at Rs. 100 crore. The 51.3 kms in the second section will be from Melamaruthur to Aruppukottai, followed by the third section of 73.5 kms from Aruppukottai to Madurai. The second phase of 51.3 km from Melamarudur to Arupukottai and the third phase of 73.5 km. from Arupukottai to Madurai would be acquired subsequently, the Collector said while addressing the media.
The officials concerned were instructed to proceed expeditiously to complete the land acquisition, the Collector said.
District Revenue Officer M. Veerappan, Assistant Collector (Training) Saravanan, Tahsildar (Land Acquisition) K. Lenin, Senior Section Engineer of Southern Railway B. Rajendra Muthukumar and others were present.
Recently acquiring land from private land owners for the stretch covered in the six villages in the first phase. Beginning the works in the first section required acquisition of 185 acres, including 175.67 acres from private landowners from six villages. The 24 acres acquired so far is for 8.5 kms covering Vadakkusilukanpatti, Saminatham and Sillanatham villages.