Baalu wants rly equipment-making unit in Trichy

TR Baalu, DMK MP as well as chairman of the standing committee on railways, has put forth a demand to set up a railway equipment manufacturing unit over a sprawling 100 acres in Ponmalai also known as Golden Rock in Trichy.

Baalu, who was in Mannarkudi, told reporters on Tuesday that the railway workshop called Golden Rock railway workshop was where mechanical works were being carried out for the Southern Railway. Of the total area (200 acres), the workshop occupied some few acres. Interestingly, a vast area over 100 acres remained vacant in the land allotted to the workshop very long back. Going by the findings, the standing committee decided to insist upon the railway ministry to set up a railway equipment manufacturing unit in Golden Rock railway workshop land. For this, he submitted his recommendation to the railway minister Dhinesh Trivedi to allocate funds for his project in the forthcoming railway budget.

Baalu also said the standing committee recommended that the railway ministry allocate Rs 65 crore to lay railway tracks between Thiruthuraipoondi-Thirukuvalai-Nagapattinam. The railways had approved Rs 890 crore for laying tracks between Karaikudi-Thiruthuraipoondi-Thiruvarur. The committee sought Rs 200 crore to be released to commence the first phase of work.