Chennai, Feb 8 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking urgent intervention to accelerate long-pending railway projects in the State, highlighting “delays” in fund allocation and stalled land acquisition that have slowed critical infrastructure development.

In his detailed letter, the Chief Minister underscored that Tamil Nadu has already completed most of the groundwork required for railway expansion but is facing setbacks due to the “delayed and piecemeal release” of funds from the Ministry of Railways.

He requested the Centre to release the required funds in full and on priority to ensure faster project execution and timely compensation to the landowners.

According to CM Stalin, administrative sanction has been granted for acquiring 2,500 hectares of land for various Union government railway projects.

Of this, land acquisition has been completed for nearly 94 per cent of the required area for 19 major projects, and the land has been handed over to the Railways.

However, funds have not yet been sanctioned for over 931 hectares, creating bottlenecks in several works.

He pointed out that delays in compensating landowners have disrupted progress and created uncertainty among affected families.

CM Stalin cited the Thiruvananthapuram–Kanniyakumari broad-gauge doubling project as a key example, where funds amounting to Rs 289.78 crore for land compensation are still pending, thereby holding up the project’s completion.

The Chief Minister also called for the revival of projects that have been kept in abeyance, including the Thoothukudi–Madurai (via Aruppukottai) line and the Tindivanam–Tiruvannamalai line.

He further urged the Centre to sanction additional new railway projects in line with Tamil Nadu’s growing economic stature.

Describing Tamil Nadu as India’s second-largest economy and a major manufacturing and export hub, CM Stalin stressed that improved rail connectivity would significantly boost national growth.

He assured that the State government has established a robust monitoring system and is fully committed to extending cooperation for speedy implementation.

Expressing confidence in cooperative federalism, CM Stalin said timely Central support would benefit both Tamil Nadu and the nation at large.

–IANS

aal/svn