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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
 Posted - 09/06/2008 : 12:21:07
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SR : MDU : Minister inspects BG work on Madurai-Kodairoad
http://www.chennaionline.com/colnews/newsitem.asp?NEWSID=%7b5C47F32F-ED55-4A76-8338-CFCF4E862C87%7d&CATEGORYNAME=CHN
Madurai, Sept 6: The bottlenecks in operating more trains from Madurai and down
south to Chennai,would be removed by October end when the doubling of track
between Madurai and Dindigul would be completed, Minister of State for Railways
R.Velu said today.
The minister,who inspected the Second BG track work from Madurai to Kodairoad,
said work on doubling the 22km stretch between Dindigul and Kodairoad had been
completed and the Railway Safety Commissioner would inspect the track on
September 22 and 23 and after receiving the clearance trains would be operated.
The 41-km of stretch from Madurai to Kodairoad would be completed by October
end,and trains would be operated after that.The Minister said once doubling was
completed all the trains that were cancelled would be restored,and additional
trains also would be operated.
Besides the Tiruvarur-Nagore section, BG conversion which had been completed
would also be taken up for inspection after October25 by the safety commission.
With the completion of the work, some trains which were running on the mainline
would be diverted and Madurai-Tiruchi-Chennai chord line would be more free to
operate additional trains, he said.
The Kodairoad station also would be modernised to enable those who alight for
going to Kodaikanal refresh themselves.
The field level survey for the Madurai-Bodinayakanur BG conversion work also had
been completed,and the conversion cost had increased from Rs.146-crore to Rs.200
Crore now, he said. - Agencies
Published: Saturday, September 06, 2008 |
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 09/10/2008 : 20:03:18
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The cost of the Katpadi-Villupuram gauge conversion, originally fixed at Rs.231.72 crore, had been revised to Rs.330 crore following the increase in the cost of construction materials.
The project, involving gauge conversion of the 161-km stretch, might be completed by March 31.
Gauge conversion and electrification had been completed between Katpadi and Vellore Cantonment, and the Commissioner of Railway Safety might inspect the new line in a month.
Two major bridges had been constructed on the stretch, which has four manned level crossings.
Mr. Velu said Vellore Cantonment was being remodelled with the addition of 15 new facilities, including three high-level concrete platforms with shelters, a big hall, five reservation counters, three pay-and-use toilets, a second-class waiting hall equipped with a pay-and-use toilet, a VIP lounge, an Automatic Teller Machine counter, a circulating area, a goods shed, an unloading platform and a cycle and car parking lot.
A foot over-bridge had been constructed to enable people on the eastern and western sides of the station to reach the other side. The station would also have a ramp for persons with disabilities. An additional entry to the station had been provided for people living on the western side.
Vellore Fort (which will be a halt station) would have a high-and middle-level platform, a ramp for persons with disabilities, a second-class waiting hall and a parking lot.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2008 : 02:29:24
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The development work on the rail route between Nilambur and Shoranur is in full swing after the new Divisional Manager for Palakkad, Y.P. Singh, assumed charge.
Mr. Singh, during his maiden visit to Nilambur last month, had assured that all the problems faced by rail passengers in Nilambur would be addressed.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 09/25/2008 : 19:08:40
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Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Sep 26, 2008
Tamil Nadu - Dindigul
Speed trial conducted
DINDIGUL: A special technical team led by Commissioner for Railway Safety K. J. S. Naidu conducted speed trial on the new broad gauge track between Dindigul and Kodai Road railway stations on Wednesday.
Talking to reporters at Dindigul railway station in the evening before the speed trial, the Commissioner said that he had checked the strength of tracks, signal system and all modifications done at railway stations. “Overall work is good. But there are some minor problems.” They could be rectified by the technical team, he added. “I need not come again for another inspection.”
After speed trials, Mr. Naidu would submit a report to the railways on the basis of which the date for opening of the second BG track would be announced.
Later, the speed trial special, comprising four compartments, left Dindigul station at 5.19 p.m. and reached Kodai Road in just 13 minutes. Railway officials said that the speed was between 110 and 120 km per hour. It was reduced near Mettur gate owing to construction of a bridge.
Earlier, Mr. Naidu travelled in a trolley to check the volume of ballasts dumped between tracks.
R. Radhakrishnan was the chief guard of the speed trial special. This was his 10th speed trial. The Southern Railway started gauge conversion in this section in January and completed the first phase in nine months. The second phase between Kodai Road and Madurai is in progress. Conversion will help to reduce the running time of express and super fast trains considerably.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 09/26/2008 : 20:35:51
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BG train service to Tiruchendur from today
Staff Reporter
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Some train services extended
Plea for link to Madurai
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TIRUNELVELI: The much-awaited Tiruchendur-Tirunelveli train service on the 62 km-long newly converted broad gauge line will begin on September 27. Minister of State for Railways R. Velu will flag off the service at 11.45 a.m. at Tiruchendur. The inaugural special will reach Tirunelveli at 1.30 p.m.
Train nos. 734 and 732 that leave Tiruchendur everyday at 7.10 a.m. and 5.55 p.m. will reach Tirunelveli at 9.10 a.m. and 7.45 p.m. respectively. Train nos. 731 and 733 that leave Tirunelveli at 7 a.m. and 6.15 p.m. will reach Tiruchendur at 8.55 a.m. and 8.10 p.m. respectively.
The metre gauge line between Tirunelveli and Tiruchendur that was laid in 1923 was closed for gauge conversion work in January 2007. The new broad gauge line has 187 small and medium bridges and the entire project has been completed on an outlay of Rs. 93 crore. As per earlier plan, it should have been opened for passenger traffic in June 2007 but it got delayed due to “operational reasons.” After speed trial was conducted on August 19 by Railway Safety Commissioner K.J.S. Naidu, the Railway Ministry cleared the proposal to resume traffic on this section.
With effect from September 28, Train nos. 725 / 724 Tuticorin-Tirunelveli-Tuticorin passengers will be extended to Tiruchendur. 724 will leave Tiruchendur at 2 p.m. will arrive Tirunelveli at 4 p.m. and leave Tirunelveli at 4.20 p.m. Tuticorin-Tiruchendur train will arrive Tirunelveli at 11.15 a.m. and leave at 11.25 a.m. to reach Tiruchendur at 1.20 p.m. There is no change in the timings of train nos 725 / 724 between Tirunelveli and Tuticorin stations.
Devotees have appealed to Mr. Velu that the Tiruchendur – Tirunelveli train service may be extended to Madurai.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 09/27/2008 : 21:36:08
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Tiruchendur-Tirunelveli BG line inaugurated
Passenger trains
will halt at all
11 stations in
the section
TIRUCHENDUR: The newly laid broad gauge line between Tiruchendur and Tirunelveli was inaugurated by Minister of State for Railways R. Velu here on Saturday.
Mr. Velu said all metre gauge sections in the State would be made broad gauge within two years. Though petrol and diesel prices had shot up, train fares had not been revised and remained below bus fares.
The Minister also granted the demand, made on behalf of the public, for halting passenger trains between Tirunelveli and Tiruchendur at all 11 stations.
To start with, passenger trains would be run on the section, and express trains introduced soon.
Minister of State for Home Affairs V. Radhika Selvi sought additional trains to clear the rush of devotees for the Shashti festival.
Rakesh Chopra, General Manager, Southern Railway, said that during 2007-2008, significant gauge conversion projects were completed in the Manamadurai-Rameswaram, Virudhachalam–Salem, Pudukkottai–Karaikudi and Tenkasi-Shencottah sections. This year, the Karaikudi-Manamadurai section was opened for traffic.
The gauge conversion between Villupuram and Mayiladuthurai, Vellore and Thiruvannamalai, Podanur and Coimbatore and Tiruvarur and Nagore were scheduled for completion this year.
The 62-km-long metre gauge line between Tirunelveli and Tiruchendur, laid at a cost of Rs.118 crore, was a branch line and its conversion was part of the Kollam–Tirunelveli–Tiruchendur gauge conversion project. The gauge conversion of this stretch became imperative to integrate this island metre gauge section with the main network, Mr. Chopra said.
The new line would boost not only passenger traffic but also freight traffic in the region. He said 7 major and 187 minor bridges had been strengthened and 45 level crossings upgraded.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 10/07/2008 : 20:29:05
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KOCHI: The long-pending work on doubling railway lines between Ernakulam and Mulanthuruthy is expected to be over by the year end.
Apart from increasing the speed of trains, the doubling of lines on the 17-km stretch would considerably reduce the waiting time of trains from southern districts to call at the two railway stations in the city.
KWA delay
A high-ranking Railway official said the doubling work could have been completed nine months ago, but for the delay by the Kerala Water Authority in relocating water pipelines that criss-cross the rails at places like Ponnurunni.
“Over a year ago, we had handed over to the Authority the land and money required for shifting the pipelines.”
Work on shifting the water pipeline near the Ponnurunni railway gate is on.
Two minor bridges have to be built in the vicinity of the gate, following which earth work and track-linking would be done.
With the new railway bridge at Thripunithura commissioned, the old one would be pulled down. Once the doubling work is over by December-end, the Commissioner for Railway Safety has to inspect and certify the new line as safe for trains.
As of now, 95 per cent of the doubling work is over. Ninety per cent of the work of laying overhead electric lines and the synchronisation of signals is over.
Sixth platform
But there is concern about the inordinate delay in laying tracks alongside the sixth platform at the Ernakulam Junction station.
The track has not been laid despite the platform and the foot overbridge being readied four years ago.
Ninety per cent of the doubling work on the Kayamkulam-Mavelikkara portion is over, with some more welding and track-linking work pending. Delay in carrying out earth work, reportedly due to opposition from some local people, delayed the doubling of the Kayamkulam-Cheppad portion.
Land acquisition
Work is on to double the Mavelikkara-Chenganur and Kollam-Punalur lines. “The State government is yet to acquire and hand over land in places like Kottayam, Kurupunthara and Mulanthuruthy,” the Railway official said.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 10/19/2008 : 03:54:44
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Inspection of Tiruvarur-Nagore BG line soon
Awareness drive: S. Subramhanyan, Divisional Railway Manager, distributing the
pamphlets to passengers during a cleaning camp in Tiruvarur on Thursday.
TIRUVARUR: The mandatory inspection of the newly-laid BG track between Tiruvarur
and Nagore by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) is expected within a
couple of weeks. The regular services will be introduced in this section as soon
as the CRS gave his signal, the Divisional Railway Manager, S. Subramhanyan, has
said.
Speaking to presspersons here after inaugurating a cleanliness campaign at the
Tiruvarur railway station on Thursday, Mr. Subramhanyan said considering the
importance of Tiruvarur, a major railway station in the Tiruchi–Nagore
section, which attracts devotees from different parts of the country round the
year, the railways had accorded importance and allotted Rs.70 lakhs for the
creation of various passenger amenities.
The facilities being created includes setting up of touch screen, on-line train
information, improvements to the circulating area, car parking area, high rise
platforms to accommodate 24-bogie trains.
He said the ongoing BG conversion works between Villupuram and Mayiladuturai
would be completed this year. Following the completion of the work, train
services would be operated to Chennai on the main line.
Earlier Mr. Subramhanyan inaugurated cleanliness campaign at Tiruvarur railway
station to create awareness among the people to keep the railway stations and
their surroundings clean and tidy. He distributed pamphlets containing slogans
on the importance of maintaining cleanliness in the running trains and the
stations to the passengers at the station who travelled by the Tiruchi-Tiruvarur
passenger train. The pamphlets also sought the cooperation of the passengers to
keep the compartments clean.
The Scouts and Guides and the members of the St. John Ambulance jointly
undertook a march on the platforms of the station raising slogans in support of
the cleanliness campaign.
The Additional Divisional Railway Manager, S. Ramsubbu; Senior Divisional
Engineer, P. V. V. Reddy; Senior Divisional Operations Manager, S. Balaji
Arunkumar; Senior Divisional Mechanical Engineer, Anupam Chauhan and others were
present on the occasion.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 10/29/2008 : 20:25:46
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Katpadi-Vellore Cantonment BG track inspection today
Gauge conversion was hampered by frequent escalation in cost of steel
shnan
Getting ready for inspection: Work is in progress at the Vellore Cantonment railway station , preparing for the inspection of the newly-laid broad gauge track between the Katpadi and Vellore Cantonment railway stations . —
VELLORE: The Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), Bangalore, K.J.S. Naidu, will inspect the newly-laid 11-km broad gauge track between the Katpadi and Vellore Cantonment railway stations on Thursday. It is hoped that the much-awaited inspection by the CRS will pave the way for the operation of trains from Vellore Cantonment to Chennai, Tirupati and other places via Katpadi.
The broad gauge track between the two stations forms part of the 160-km Katpadi-Villupuram section, where gauge conversion is in progress. The work on gauge conversion between Katpadi and Vellore Cantonment stations had been hampered by frequent escalation in the cost of steel, resulting in change of contractors.
The work was expected to be completed in March 2007. It was almost completed on March 28, 2008 when a team of engineers from the Southern Railway conducted a test run of a loco engine from Katpadi to Vellore Cantonment. Subsequently, on seeing the reports sent by the Southern Railway about the observations of the test run, the CRS suggested some changes in the track alignment in the Vellore Cantonment Station. While the track had been laid in such a way to facilitate the take off of the trains from a curve line, the CRS suggested that this alignment be altered to enable the train to take off from a straight track.
“Consequently, we shifted eight points and changed the alignment as per the instructions,” said S. Venkatesan, Chief Engineer, Southern Railway.
On Thursday morning, the CRS would inspect the track in a motorised trolley from Katpadi to Vellore Cantonment, spending a lot of time at the ‘rail over rail’ (the two-span bridge over the existing broad gauge track on the Katpadi-Jolarpet section) and at the 13-span Palar bridge.
The Deputy CRS (electrification) would inspect the electrification work in a separate motorised trolley, while the Deputy CRS (signalling and telecommunications) would inspect the signalling and telecommunication equipment by travelling in yet another trolley.
The CRS would make an elaborate inspection of the track and the bridges. Mr. Venkatesan said that while the motorised trolleys carrying the CRS and other officials would be operated at a speed of about 80 km an hour during the initial inspection, the four-coach passenger train in which the speed trial would be conducted in the evening would be operated at the fullest speed of 100 km an hour to facilitate the recording of the vertical and horizontal oscillations of the track.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 10/30/2008 : 20:04:40
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VELLORE : The Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), Bangalore, K.J.S. Naidu, who inspected the newly laid broad gauge track between Katpadi and Vellore Cantonment Stations on the Katpadi-Villupuram section on Thursday, suggested some minor corrections in the track and in the railway bridge across the Palar in Vellore, which forms part of the track.
Talking to newspersons at the Vellore Cantonment railway station, Mr. Naidu said that some minor works related to track attention and bridge attention were pending. “These have to be corrected by the engineers concerned and confirmed to me. I will announce my decision based on the completion certificate to be furnished by the Chief Engineer after making the corrections,” he said.
“I may or may not come again for a second inspection,” Mr. Naidu said, when asked whether he would be making another inspection after the corrections are made. R. Ramanathan, Chief Administrative Officer (Construction Projects), Southern Railway, said that the defects pointed out by the CRS would be attended to immediately.
Earlier in the morning, Mr. Naidu and the Deputy Commissioners of Railway Safety in charge of electrification and signalling and telecommunication (S & T), travelling in separate motorised trolleys, inspected the track, the ‘rail over rail’ (the railway bridge over the Katpadi-Jolarpet broad gauge track), the railway bridge across the Palar, the track electrification and the S & T between the Katpadi and Vellore Cantonment stations. After reaching the Vellore Cantonment station, the team travelled to Katpadi by a four-coach passenger train for the speed trial, with the train running at the fullest speed of 100 km an hour.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 11/02/2008 : 01:26:30
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Tamil Nadu
Dindigul-Villupuram doubling to be completed in two years: Velu
Chidambaram flags off Rameswaram-Chennai Egmore Express
RAMESWARAM: The track doubling between Dindigul and Villupuram will be completed in two years, Minister of State for Railways R. Velu has said.
Presiding over a function, in which Union Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram flagged off the Rameswaram-Chennai Egmore Express here on Saturday, Mr. Velu said the project had been taken up at a cost of Rs.822 crore. New trains to Chennai from various parts of the southern districts could be operated after the project was completed.
Electrification
Mr. Velu said electrification of the broad-gauge line between Villupuram and Tiruchi had been expedited. It would be extended up to Tuticorin. New trains including those to0 Kasi and Bhuvaneswar from Rameswaram would be operated soon.
The Boat Mail, which was suspended in view of the gauge conversion of the main line, would be reintroduced from January.
Appreciating Mr. Chidambaram’s efforts for introducing an additional train to Chennai from Rameswaram, Mr. Velu said it was mainly because of his efforts that Southern Railway could operate the new train by rescheduling another.
More projects
Mr. Chidambaram said the Railways, like the economy, had grown spectacularly during the past four years. And the growth had enabled the Railways to implement more infrastructure projects.
The United Progressive Alliance government had recently introduced a train service in Jammu and Kashmir. Railway Minister Lalu and Mr. Velu had done a good service to the Railways, he said.
The additional train to Chennai, and its schedule, would suit the passengers of Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga and Pudukottai districts.
Union Minister S. Regupathy, Tamil Nadu Minister, S. Thangavelan, Bhavani Rajendran, MP, K. Hasan Ali, MLA, General Manager Rakesh Chopra and Divisional Railway Manager Anil Singhal took part.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 11/02/2008 : 19:26:00
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Katpadi-Vellore Cantonment broad gauge track to be opened on November 10
Union Minister Anbumani Ramadoss will inaugurate it
VELLORE: Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Anbumani Ramadoss will inaugurate the newly laid broad gauge track between Katpadi and Vellore Cantonment railway stations at a function to be held at the Vellore Cantonment station at 11 a.m. on November 10. R. Velu, Union Minister of State for Railways will also participate.
Informing this to newspersons here on Sunday, Mr. Velu said that the minor corrections in the track and the railway bridge across the Palar river, suggested by the Commissioner of Railway Safety K.J.S. Naidu during his inspection of the track on Thursday, have been carried out by the engineers of the Southern Railway.
The number of trains to be operated from Vellore Cantonment station, the destinations to which the trains would be operated and the timings of the trains are being worked out in consultation with Southern Railway officials, Mr. Velu said.
Dr. Ramadoss would also inaugurate the remodelled Vellore Cantonment station.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 11/08/2008 : 00:43:49
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http://srailway.com/press/index.php?id=698&evnt=DETAILS
TIRUNELVELI TOWN– TENKASI METRE GAUGE SECTION TO BE CLOSED FOR TRAFFIC FROM
01.01.2009 FOR GAUGE CONVERSION WORK
The 72-km long metre gauge section between Tirunelveli Town and Tenkasi will be
closed for traffic from 01.01.2009 to 30.06.2010 in connection with the ongoing
gauge conversion work.
The Travelling public is requested to bear with the temporary inconvenience
caused due to the closure of the Tirunelveli Town – Tenkasi section during
the period 01.01.2009 to 30.06.2010 for gauge conversion work.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 11/09/2008 : 03:21:00
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CHENNAI: The newly converted, electrified broad gauge section between Katpadi and Vellore Cantonment will be inaugurated on November 10. Regular services will commence on November 11. The metre gauge section between Tirunelveli Town and Tenkasi will be closed for traffic from January 1 to June 30 for gauge conversion work, according to a Southern Railway release.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 11/09/2008 : 18:38:51
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Southern Railway to have only broad gauge by 2011
Awareness rally: Southern Railway General Manager Rakesh Chopra flagging off a marathon at Lovedale, near Udhagamandalam on Sunday.
Udhagamandalam: By 2011 Southern Railway will have broad gauge lines only, said its General Manager, Rakesh Chopra, at Lovedale, near here, on Sunday.
All the conversion proposals have been cleared by the Ministry and the process of planning and execution of the works was now in progress, he told reporters.
A total of 1,100 km of metre guage lines still needed to be converted, he said adding that the process was being slowed down because of the difficulty in getting experienced contractors.
Claiming that performance-wise Southern Railway was among the best in the country, Mr. Chopra said that during the first half of the current fiscal all financial and load targets have been met.
In both the suburban and non-suburban sections, the passenger traffic has registered a 20 per cent increase in passenger traffic. The Unreserved Ticketing System has been introduced at some places. With incoming traffic increasing, the number of specials being run was on the rise.
“I am monitoring the progress on a day-to-day basis,” Mr. Chopra said and added that Automatic Teller Machines, now available in Chennai, will be extended to other places.
To a query, he said that the possibility of reviving freight services on the Nilgiri Mountain Railway was being explored. Movement of commodities like tea would be beneficial to all.
Stating that the mountain railway now had seven steam locomotives in good condition despite their age, he said that four were in the process of being added.
They will be put together at the Golden Rock Workshop of the Southern Railway at Tiruchi.
Since the original locomotives were made by Swiss engineers, either their assistance would be sought or technology obtained. Whether they will be coal fired or oil fired will be decided by the Railway Ministry. About 18 months from the date of being cleared they will be ready for trials.
Owing to the NMR’s popularity tourism wise an increase in the number of trips was also being considered. When asked whether the re-opening of some of the stations between Coonoor and Mettupalayam would be considered, he said that it was not necessary.
Beyond Ooty
If the State Government provides the necessary financial and other assistance, Southern Railway will not mind examining ways to extend the mountain railway facility beyond Udhagamandalam. Earlier, Mr. Chopra flagged off a marathon between Lovedale and Udhagandalam to mark the centenary of the Coonoor-Udhagamandalam section of the railway.
Later, the Chief Mechanical Engineer, Southern Railway, V. Carmelus and the Director of Postal Services, Coimbatore Region, Mervin Alexander released a special postal cover brought out by the Postal Department in honour of the mountain railway.
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SR : Five gauge conversion works nearing completio
