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Title: Need for new railway line between Madurai-Tuticorin via Aruppukottai.
*SHRI P.MOHAN (MADURAI) : Both before independence and after independence the southern districts in Tamil Nadu including Madurai have not got any impetus towards industrial growth. The southern districts continue to remain industrially backward because no heavy industries and big manufacturing industries have come up there as no effort towards it has been made either by the Centre or by the State Governments. It is all because of inadequate infrastructure facilities. Over the years all the Governments have remained indifferent. Even among cotton mills and textile mills established both before and after independence, many of them have been closed. I urge upon the Union Government to go in for setting up heavy industries in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu. Madurai has got a airport and Tuticorin has got a sea port. These two are currently linked by railway through a rail line running via Kovilpatti. A new railway line must be laid between Madurai and Tuticorin via Aruppukkottai and Vilathikulam. It is also necessary to operationalise the existing Madurai–Aruppukkottai line that has been delayed due to the pending gauge conversion work. Kindly ensure early completion of laying railway lines to give a pep to developing infrastructure facilities there.