CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention to ensure the immediate and full release of funds for railway projects in Tamil Nadu, the revival of projects kept in abeyance and the sanction of additional new projects in line with the State’s economic stature.
In his letter, Stalin said delays by the Ministry of Railways in releasing funds, particularly for land acquisition, were hampering project execution despite the State completing most preparatory work.
He underlined that Tamil Nadu had accorded administrative sanction for acquiring 2,500.61 hectares of land for various Union government railway projects, but funds had not been sanctioned by the Railways for 931.52 hectares.
“Out of land acquisition required for 19 major ongoing railway projects, 94 per cent has already been completed and handed over to the Railways. However, progress is being affected due to delays and piecemeal release of funds,” the Chief Minister wrote, adding that timely payment of compensation to landowners was crucial for avoiding disruptions and uncertainty.
Citing the doubling of the broad-gauge line between Thiruvananthapuram and Kanniyakumari as a key example, Stalin said compensation funds amounting to Rs 289.78 crore were yet to be allocated for the acquisition of 16.86 hectares, even though the project was being monitored through the Union government’s Project Monitoring Group portal.
The Chief Minister said the State government had given the highest priority to railway projects and put in place a robust monitoring mechanism, with the Chief Secretary and Transport Secretary holding monthly coordination meetings with railway officials to resolve bottlenecks.
Expressing concern over the relatively limited allocation of new railway projects to Tamil Nadu in recent years, Stalin noted that the State, as India’s second-largest economy and a major manufacturing hub, continued to make significant contributions to national GDP and exports.
He urged the Prime Minister to direct the Railways to release funds in full and on priority, restart stalled projects such as the Thoothukudi–Madurai (via Aruppukkottai) and Tindivanam–Tiruvannamalai lines, and consider sanctioning additional projects.
He expressed confidence that the Prime Minister’s intervention would strengthen cooperative federalism and lead to early resolution of the issues.