Tamil Nadu Railway Projects: Only 31% of 2025-26 Allocation Spent, RTI Reveals

Ten new railway line projects in Tamil Nadu utilised only ₹192.54 crore of the ₹617.76 crore allocated in 2025-26, accounting for just 31% of the sanctioned funds, according to information obtained through the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

The allocation for these projects has been reduced to ₹497.57 crore for 2026-27, despite the 10 projects covering a combined 870.78 km with an estimated project cost of ₹16,841.34 crore.

Tindivanam-Nagari Project Gets Major Share

The Tindivanam-Nagari railway line project accounted for the bulk of spending during 2025-26, with ₹169.28 crore utilised. The 184.45-km project was sanctioned in 2006 at an estimated cost of ₹3,631.34 crore and has achieved only 16% physical progress.

Other projects recorded significantly lower expenditure. The Madurai-Thoothukudi line via Aruppukkottai spent ₹12.19 crore, while Morappur-Dharmapuri utilised ₹10.72 crore. The Rameshwaram-Dhanushkodi project spent just ₹0.35 crore.

Four projects - Tindivanam-Tiruvannamalai, Chennai-Mahabalipuram-Cuddalore, Attipattu-Puttur and Erode-Palani - received a combined ₹187.5 crore allocation in 2025-26 but recorded no expenditure.

Funding Cut for Several Railway Projects

For 2026-27, Tindivanam-Gingee-Tiruvannamalai, Attipattu-Puttur and Chennai-Mahabalipuram-Cuddalore have received only ₹1 crore each. The Erode-Palani project has received no allocation.

The allocation for the Tindivanam-Nagari project has also been reduced from ₹347.7 crore to ₹334.7 crore, despite accounting for most of the expenditure last year.

The current year`s funding is largely concentrated on Tindivanam-Nagari (₹334.7 crore) and the Sriperumbudur-Guduvanchery Phase-I project (₹100 crore).

The Sriperumbudur-Guduvanchery project, estimated at ₹3,136 crore, covers 60 km and is aimed at providing cargo connectivity between the Chennai Peripheral Industrial Corridor and Chennai Port.

Doubling and Multi-Tracking Projects Also Face Funding Cuts

Funding concerns also extend to railway doubling and multi-tracking projects in Tamil Nadu.

The Katpadi-Villupuram project has received only ₹2 crore in 2026-27, compared with ₹200.45 crore in 2025-26. Allocations for the Salem-Karur-Dindigul and Erode-Karur projects have also fallen to ₹5 crore each from ₹100 crore each last year.

The 14 doubling and multi-tracking projects together cover around 658 km and have an estimated cost of ₹8,173.35 crore. However, they have received only g>₹342.10 crore for 2026-27.