Tamil Nadu Clears Land Acquisition for Mannargudi - Pattukkottai Rail Line, Boosting Delta Connectivity

The Tamil Nadu government has taken a significant step towards reviving one of the Delta region`s long-pending railway projects by granting administrative approval for land acquisition for the proposed Mannargudi–Pattukkottai broad gauge railway line. The move is expected to improve rail connectivity and strengthen transport infrastructure in Thanjavur district.

According to a Government Order (GO), the State has approved the acquisition of 107.13 hectares of land across Nadiyammapuram and 14 other villages in Pattukkottai taluk. The acquisition includes 89.49 hectares of patta land, comprising 24.06 hectares of wetland, 58.13 hectares of dry land, 6.64 hectares of manavari land, and 0.65 hectares of ryot manai land. In addition, 17.63 hectares of government poramboke land will be transferred under the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purposes Act, 1997.

To expedite the acquisition process, the government has sanctioned the creation of 13 temporary posts, including a Special Tahsildar (Land Acquisition), survey officials, revenue inspectors, and supporting staff. The Thanjavur District Revenue Officer has been appointed as the Land Acquisition Officer, while Southern Railway will bear the entire establishment cost.

The government stated that the proposal was approved after examining the recommendations of the Thanjavur District Collector and the Commissioner of Land Administration.

The decision comes in response to long-standing demands from residents of Pattukkottai and surrounding villages for improved railway connectivity. The region, which is home to more than 100 villages, has long faced inadequate train services despite the completion of the Tiruvarur–Pattukkottai–Karaikudi broad gauge conversion.

The railway corridor dates back to 1902, when the metre-gauge line was first laid. The Kamban Express operated on the route until 2012, when services were suspended for gauge conversion. Although train services resumed after the broad gauge conversion was completed, residents say the number of services continues to be insufficient.

For several decades, local organisations have been demanding new broad gauge railway lines connecting Thanjavur–Pattukkottai and Mannargudi–Pattukkottai, as well as a daily overnight express train linking Rameswaram and Chennai Egmore via Tiruvarur, Pattukkottai, and Karaikudi.

The Thanjavur–Pattukkottai railway project has seen multiple unsuccessful attempts over the years. First proposed during the British era in 1932, the project was revived in 2000 with an estimated d cost of ₹101 crore, but was later shelved due to viability concerns. In 2012, the Railway Ministry sanctioned a preliminary survey with an allocation of ₹7 lakh. A proposal to construct a 47.2-km railway line at a cost of ₹290.5 crore was later revised to ₹400 crore in 2015. However, none of these proposals progressed beyond the planning stage.

With the State government now clearing the land acquisition process, the long-awaited railway project has gained fresh momentum, raising hopes of improved connectivity, better transportation, and enhanced economic opportunities for the Delta region.