Railways seeks land for track doubling between Aduthurai and Sundaraperumal Koil

The Southern Railway Construction Organisation has set in motion the process for acquisition of land required for the multi-crore track doubling project between Aduthurai and Sundaraperumal Koil via Kumbakonam sanctioned by the Railway Board, New Delhi, last month.Entrusted with the task of executing the doubling project, the Southern Railway Construction Organisation has submitted necessary documents for land acquisition. Railway sources told The Hindu that 12.5 hectares of land was required for the doubling project on the 21.5-km broad gauge stretch from Aduthurai to Sundaraperumal Koil via Kumbakonam and for the construction of additional loop lines.The sources said necessary documents required for land acquisition were submitted to the District Collector, Thanjavur, on October 31 and it was under process with the State authorities. The broad gauge stretch comes under the jurisdiction of Thanjavur district.The move seeking acquisition of land comes amid tenders floated by the Southern Railway Construction Organisation for the construction of double line as well as for the design, supply, erection, testing and commissioning of OHE (Overhead Equipment) on this stretch. The Railway Board had accorded sanction on October 1 for the doubling project under the umbrella work of doubling / tripling/ quadrupling/ multitracking to augment the railway capacity network. The project is to be executed in connection with the 10-day Mahamaham festival at Kumbakonam from February 29 to March 9, 2028 at an estimated cost of ₹289.17 crore encompassing civil, signal, and telecommunication and electrical works.As part of the doubling project, a new bridge measuring 60 metres would be constructed across the Arasalar near Kumbakonam, the sources said. The tender process and fixing of agency for executing the project would be completed within two months. Civil works are expected to commence in January next year. The plan was to complete the project in one year ahead of the Mahamaham festival to enable the Southern Railway operate more train services to and from Kumbakonam to different destinations. Published - November 15, 2026 06:47 pm IST