Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Gauge conversion may be over before April

CHENNAI: The work on broad-gauge conversion of the Villupuram-Mayiladuthurai is likely to be completed by March-April, Minister of State for Railways R.Velu said on Monday.

Talking to reporters after inaugurating an ATM with an Internet ticketing kiosk put up by Canara Bank at the Annanagar station here, he said the floods in the Coleroon had held up the work in the past one month.

He would review the progress in February. Steps would be taken to expedite the work. Even if there was some delay, efforts would be made to complete the line up to Chidambaram initially.

The gauge conversion of the Mayavaram-Nagapattinam line (through Tiruvarur) was apace and was expected to be completed by March. In the first phase, the line between Mayiladuthurai and Tiruvarur would be opened.

Inaugurating the ATM, Mr. Velu said additional facilities such as mobile top-up, airline ticketing and VISA money transfer were planned to be provided in the ATM. Canara Bank had been allotted 79 ATMs for Southern Railway, and 11 of them were opened.

R.Prabha, General Manager, Chennai Circle, said the ATM was the result of the joint effort by the bank and the Railways to provide the best possible technology to travellers.

The ATM with the Internet ticketing kiosk at the Annanagar station was the fifth of its kind in the bank’s Chennai Circle.

Chennai Divisional Railway Manager Mansingh was present.

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