The Hindu Business Line : No rethinking on Salem railway division: Minister

The new railway division with headquarters at Salem, which has been carved out of the Palakkad division, is already functional and there is no rethinking on its formation, the Minister of State for Railways, Mr R. Velu, has said.

He said the Palakkad division will not become weaker after the formation of the new division, and added that it would have more staff and earn more revenue than the Salem division.

Mr Velu said the Coimbatore-Irugur track doubling work would be completed by December and the two railway overbridges, at Ondipudur and Valankulam in the city, would be completed in the next few months.

Everything in order

Speaking to presspersons after inaugurating a food plaza at Coimbatore railway station, he said an officer has been posted at Salem who has already taken charge. In the latest railway budget, an allocation of Rs 3 crore has been made for the new division, Mr Velu pointed out.

The jurisdictional area of the division also has been published. The engineering section has also started functioning in Salem at a small level. He said there was no question of any disobedience on the part of railway staff posted to the division.

The Minister said the Palakkad division after bifurcation would not be affected. Out of the total area of 1,132 km under the Palakkad division before bifurcation, 509 km would remain under it with the rest coming under Salem division.

While the revenue earned by Salem division would be about Rs 200 crore, the income from Palakkad division would be about Rs 265 crore. The Palakkad division would have 8,800 employees as against 8,200 employees under the Salem division. .