Madurai MP Su. Venkatesan has accused the Center of ignoring new railway projects in Tamil Nadu.
In a statement, he said new railway line projects in Tamil Nadu were allocated only ₹1,000 crore in the Union Budget 2022.
He listed the new railway line projects for which a meager amount was allocated – Tindivanam – Ginji – Tiruvannamalai; Tindivanam – the city; Athipattu – Putthur; Erode – Palani; Chennai – Cuddalore; Madurai – Aruppukottai – Thoothukudi; Sriperumbudur – Guduvancheri – Irunkattukottai – Avadi; Doubling project of Murappur – Dharmapuri and Katpadi – Villupuram sections.
The MP also pointed out that only ₹1.5 crore was allocated for the Salem-Karur-Dindigul doubling project, while the project cost was ₹1,600 crore.
Similarly, for the ₹650 crore Erode-Karur doubling project, the Center had allocated only ₹1 crore.
This was the third consecutive budget in which the Center had given a meager amount for projects in Tamil Nadu.
Mr Venkatesan, however, welcomed the budgetary allocation of ₹59 crore for the Rameshwaram-Dhanushkodi new rail line project, which was planned to be completed at a cost of ₹207 crore.
He said that for the Madurai-Body gauge conversion work, which was going on for 10 years, the Center had allocated Rs 125 crore and Rs 425 crore for the Vanchi Maniachi-Nagarcoil doubling project and Rs 700 crore for the Thiruvananthapuram-Kanyakumari doubling project. Was allotted Rs.
The MP appealed to the Center to expedite the completion of the projects in two years.
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