MR. SPEAKER: other matters under Special Mentions will be taken up at the end of the day.
Matters under rule 377 will be laid on the Table of the House. … (Interruptions)
13.31 hrs
Title: Need to construct a railway line between Avadi and Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu.
SHRI S.K. KHARVENTHAN (PALANI): Sir, in Tamil Nadu ‘Sriperumbudur’ is an ancient historic town and the birth place of great Saint ‘Sri Ramanujar’. Age-old Varadharajar Temple is situated here. For Vaishnavites, it is considered as the next to Tirupathi Balaji Temple. Now it is the hub of car, cell phone and various other manufacturing industries. Rajiv Gandhi Youth Development Institute, Automobile Testing Laboratory and 25 Engineering Colleges are also located here. Hundreds of automobile auxiliary units are also running here.
For this important town, there is no rail connectivity. Within the 30 kms., the railway line connecting Chennai and Arakonam is passing through. Moreover, our country has lost the great son of our soil, Shri Rajiv Gandhiji at this place. The Memorial of our leader late Shri Rajiv Gandhi is also located here.
On considering all the above aspects, a new railway line “Avadi -Sriperumbudur Via Thirumazhisai, Thandalam, Irukattukottai” was announced and a survey was ordered on 27-12-1995. Reconnaissance Engineering-cum-Traffic Survey was completed and reports were also submitted to Railway Board on 03-04-1997. But the project has not yet been sanctioned by the Railways.
Hence, I urge upon the Government to take necessary steps to sanction the project on priority basis and do the needful at the earliest.
* Treated as laid on the Table.