Manamadurai–Virudhunagar line

The Manamadurai–Virudhunagar line is a railway line connecting Virudhunagar and Manamadurai towns in Tamil Nadu.

Manamadurai–Virudhunagar line
Manamadurai Junction railway station
Overview
Status	Operating
Owner	Indian Railways
Locale	Tamil Nadu
Termini	Manamadurai Junction (MNM) Virudhunagar Junction (VPT)
Stations	5
Website	www.sr.indianrailways.gov.in
Service
Type	Express train Passenger train
Services	3
Operator(s)	Southern Railway zone
Depot(s)	Golden Rock
History
Opened	2 May 1964; 61 years ago (1964-05-02)
Reopened	21 June 2013
Technical
Line length	67 km (42 mi)
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Old gauge	Meter Gauge
Loading gauge	4,725 mm × 3,660 mm (15 ft 6.0 in × 12 ft 0.1 in) (BG)[1]
Operating speed	80 km/h (50 mph)
Signalling	Railway Signalling
Route map Legend km to Karaikkudi Junction to Madurai Junction 0 Manamadurai Junction to Rameswaram NH 87 22 Narikkudi 35 Tiruchchuli to Tuticorin ( under construction ) NH 38 45 Aruppukkottai to Madurai Junction ( under construction ) to Madurai Junction 67 Virudhunagar Junction to Tirunelveli Junction to Tenkasi Junction This diagram: view talk edit

History

A new railway line from Manamadurai Junction–Virudhunagar Junction was proposed in the Third Five Year plan, which was supposed to ease the pressure on the existing Manamadurai Junction–Madurai Junction and Madurai Junction–Virudhunagar Junction sections.^[2] On 1 September 1963, the 22.66 kilometres (14.08 mi) Virudhunagar Junction–Aruppukkottai section was opened,^[3] along with Aruppukkottai railway station in the same year by the then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, K. Kamaraj.^[4] And on 2 May 1964, the rest of 43.89 kilometres (27.27 mi) Aruppukkottai–Manamadurai Junction section was thrown to traffic.^[5] Opened with meter gauge tracks, the 67 kilometres (42 mi) section had Five crossing railway stations viz.,mallankinaru, Aruppukkottai, Tiruchchuli, Narikkudi, Kadambankulam catering immensely the passengers of the region and Tuticorin for traffic of goods.^[6] When this Route converted to broad gauge Mallankinaru(MNKR) and Kadambankulam(KMBK) stations are abonded due to low patronage.

Development

The conversion from metre gauge to broad gauge was effected and the section was closed for operation during 2008.^[6] The section which had 22 unstaffed level crossings^[7] underwent safety inspection on 21 June 2013 for operational fitness.^[8] Finally, at a cost of ₹231.58 crore (US$27 million) the broad gauge section consisting of five major bridges, 145 minor bridges and five railway stations (including 3 crossing stations) under Virudhunagar and Sivaganga districts was re-opened for traffic on 14 July 2013 by the Union Minister of state for Civil Aviation, K. C. Venugopal.^[9][10]