Tamil Nadu has formally communicated to the railway ministry its request to cancel the proposed 17-km rail line project from Rameshwaram to Dhanushkodi, according to Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw’s statement on 24 July 2024.
Responding to inquiries about project delays in the state, Vaishnaw emphasized the central government’s commitment to accelerating nationwide projects, contingent on state cooperation in land acquisition. Although specifics of the state’s request were not detailed, sources indicated Tamil Nadu’s concerns about the ecological sensitivity of the project area. The initiative to establish a broad-gauge rail line has stalled due to the railways’ challenges in acquiring necessary land.
Dhanushkodi holds significance as a Hindu pilgrimage site where devotees traditionally conclude their pilgrimage by bathing in its waters, believed to mark the beginning of Ram Sethu. The railway station in Dhanushkodi was rendered unusable after being ravaged by the 1964 Rameshwaram cyclone, transforming the once-thriving tourist destination into an abandoned ghost town.
Earlier in the day, the railway ministry informed the Lok Sabha that several critical infrastructure projects in Tamil Nadu are delayed primarily due to land acquisition issues. In a written reply, Vaishnaw stated that only 807 hectares of the required 2,749 hectares have been acquired so far, attributing the shortfall to unsuccessful efforts by the railways. He underscored the need for Tamil Nadu’s cooperation to expedite land acquisition.
Later, Vaishnaw informed reporters that the central government has substantially increased budgetary allocations for all states, including Tamil Nadu, with an allocation of ₹6,362 crore for the current fiscal year, significantly higher than the average annual allocation during the previous administration’s tenure.
Supporters of this project believe that this stretch would have given a big boost to not only religious tourism in Rameswaram but also provide a logistical advantage to the marine security forces to maintain a strategic vigil along the coastal stretch.
(With inputs from Times Of India)
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