Chennai: Union Minister L. Murugan announced on Sunday that 38 trains across Tamil Nadu will have additional stoppages from August 18 in response to public demand. Speaking to the media, Murugan also said the Centre has sanctioned about Rs 10 lakh crore in the last 10 years to implement social welfare schemes, including modernisation and expansion of national highways, airports and ports in Tamil Nadu.
Murugan said he received petitions from the public demanding that express trains, superfast trains, and passenger trains stop at additional railway stations in various parts of the state, and that he brought the matter to the attention of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
Vaishnaw, who accepted the demands of railway passengers, issued the necessary orders for extra stoppage, the Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs said. The additional stoppages include Ambur for Chennai Central-Shivamogga Weekly Superfast Express. The Dhanbad-Alappuzha Express will stop at Gudiyatham and Vaniyambadi for a duration of two minutes each.
Similarly, the Coimbatore-Nagercoil Express Train will stop at Irugur and Singanallur. This train will also stop at the aforementioned stations in the opposite direction as well as at Melappalayam. The Puducherry-Kanniyakumari Express will stop at Valliyur for the convenience of passengers.
Murugan further stated that the Central government has allocated Rs 6,626 crore for the state’s railway projects in 2025-26. During the Congress-led UPA regime between 2009 and 2014, this allocation was Rs 879 crore, he said.
Under the Amrit Bharat Railway Stations Scheme, work was being carried out at a fast pace to upgrade 77 railway stations in Tamil Nadu at an estimated cost of Rs 2,948 crore. Under this scheme, Rs 800 crore has been allocated for the redevelopment of Chennai Egmore Railway Station, and work is currently underway.
Similarly, the reconstruction work of Madurai, Rameswaram, Kanyakumari, Katpadi and Salem railway stations is underway in full swing, a press release quoted him as saying. Murugan said the work of laying new tracks for a distance of 2,587 KM was underway at an estimated cost of Rs 33,467 crore, and 10 new railway lines, 3 broad gauge railway lines and 9 double-track lines are being constructed. Additionallu he quoted, that work on the Maduravoyal-Chennai Harbour elevated project was also progressing at full speed.
