Indian Railways to restore Dhanushkodi rail track

Indian Railways is planning to restore the Dhanushkodi rail track, which was washed away in a cyclone on December 23, 1964.

Indian Railways’ Rameswaram – Dhanushkodi rail track was washed away by a cyclone, along with a train and other infrastructure, leaving over 100 people dead and also halting the train service that delivered a vital link through sea between Mandapam, India, and Colombo, Sri Lanka just 18 kilometres away.

The Railway Ministry has drafted a proposal for the Dhanushkodi station reconstruction and restoring the infrastructure.

An 18 km long line will be built between Rameshwaram and Dhansuhkodi, of which 5 km will be at ground level, and the remaining will be elevated track, as per the Indian Railways proposal awaiting approval.

As per the report, the single-line will be electrified, and it will be connected to the broad gauge. The survey report crafted by the Southern Railway zone envisages a railway station that will be 900-metre long and 80-metre wide, with a cost of about Rs 733 crore. The land required for the rail track has to be acquired. While a substantial stretch of 28.6 hectares is forest land, 43.81 hectares of land belong to the state government, and 3.66 hectares are held privately.

Assistant Executive Engineer of Madurai Division Anand said that once all the clearances are obtained, and the land acquisition is finished, the railway station will be ready in two years.

As per the estimates, 20,000 tourists are expected to visit Rameshwaram by the year 2041, and Dhanushkodi will notice a substantial upgrade in footfall once the railway connection is finished.

Anand said that the 18-kilometre line from Rameswaram will have one terminal station and three halt stations.

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