Land Acquisition Delays Stall Key Railway Projects in Tamil Nadu.

Key railway infrastructure projects in Tamil Nadu are facing significant delays due to land acquisition challenges, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw revealed in the Lok Sabha. Of the 3,389 hectares (Ha) required for various railway projects in the state, only 866 Ha-26%—has been acquired so far, the minister said in response to questions from State MP Kalanidhi Veeraswamy about reduced fund allocation for new railway lines.

Despite increased budget allocations, the execution of several major projects has been hindered by slow progress in land acquisition. For example, the 71-km Tindivanam to Tiruvannamalai project requires 273 Ha, of which only 33 Ha has been acquired. Other stalled projects include the 88-km Attipattu to Puttur New Line (189 Ha required, no land acquired), the 36-km Morappur to Dharmapuri (93 Ha required), and the 41-km Mannargudi to Pattukkottai (152 Ha required).

“These projects' success depends on the Tamil Nadu government’s support in expediting land acquisition,” Vaishnaw said, adding that railway infrastructure projects in the state fall under the Southern Railway, South Central Railway, and South Western Railway zones. Details on costs, expenditures, and project status are available on the Indian Railways website.

The minister also highlighted that while annual budget allocations for Tamil Nadu infrastructure projects averaged ₹879 crore between 2009 and 2014, the allocation for 2024-25 has surged to ₹6,362 crore. However, he emphasized that the pace of execution remains tied to timely land acquisition facilitated by the state government.

As of April 1, 2024, 22 railway projects in Tamil Nadu—comprising 10 new lines, 3 gauge conversion projects, and 9 doubling projects—covering a total of 2,587 km and costing ₹33,467 crore, are in various stages of implementation. Of these, 665 km have been commissioned, with ₹7,153 crore spent by March 2024.

HBL