Rail users in the delta region have been seeking the implementation of the project by expediting the land acquisition process.
| Photo Credit: R. Vengadesh
The Thanjavur – Pattukottai new broad gauge line railway project, which has remained on paper for over a decade, has finally got a fillip as the Tamil Nadu government has accorded administrative sanction for the acquisition of land for this multi-crore project.
The Tamil Nadu government issued an order late last month for the acquisition of 119 hectares of patta land and alienation of 31.63 hectares of government poramboke land in Puliyanthopu and 24 other villages in Orathanadu, Thiruvonam and Pattukottai taluks in Thanjavur district for the railway project.
The government has clearly spelt out the extent of wetland, dry land, manavari land and ryot manai to be acquired in connection with the construction of the new 52-km BG line from Thanjavur to Pattukottai. The lands are to be acquired under the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purposes Act, 1997.
The Tamil Nadu government had accorded administrative sanction for land acquisition after careful examination of the proposal of the Thanjavur District Collector and the recommendation of the Commissioner of Land Administration. As per the government order, 21.92 hectares of wetland, 80.38 hectares of dry land, 16.14 hectares of Manavari land and 0.55 hectares of Ryot manai are to be acquired.
The State government has appointed the District Revenue Officer, Thanjavur, as the Land Acquisition Officer for land acquisition work. It has ordered the creation of 13 posts of special staff, including a Special Tahsildar ( Land Acquisition) to attend the land acquisition works for the railway line project. The government’s order has been communicated to the Commissioner of Land Administration, District Collector, Thanjavur and to the Chief Engineer, Construction, Southern Railway.
Although the project was sanctioned and included in the 2013-14 Railway Budget during the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance regime, it never took off and was bogged down by land acquisition issue. The estimated cost of the project that was pegged then was ₹290 crore.
The State government’s decision to acquire land has given a fillip to this long-pending project, which is to benefit the rail users of the delta region. Rail users in the delta region have been seeking the implementation of the project by expediting the land acquisition process. With the State government having accorded administrative sanction, rail users say adequate funds should be allocated by the railway administration to acquire land and commence the project without any further delay.
Published – August 05, 2026 09:06 pm IST
