Two years on, Rs 21 crore redevelopment of Thanjavur junction on the slow track

New Indian Express

4 days ago

THANJAVUR: Two years on, the redevelopment of Thanjavur railway junction under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS) is yet to be completed, causing inconvenience to passengers due to the ongoing construction works. The foundation stone was laid on August 6, 2023 for the redevelopment of the station at a cost of Rs 21.17 crore.
The redevelopment envisaged providing shelters to cover entire platforms, an arrival building, renovation of the existing terminal building, construction of a new parcel building and laying a road on the front side of the station with a parking facility and pedestrian walkway.
Initially, the construction was supposed to be completed within 18 months. However, even after 24 months, only a few works have been completed. Out of the completed works are the new parcel office building and the existing terminal building, which has been renovated.
Most of the remaining works are incomplete. M Gnanam, a passenger said, 'There has been water stagnation in the existing renovated terminal following rains on Tuesday night. One has to wade through ankle- deep water to access the ticket counters and to enter or exit the station.'
On Wednesday when TNIE visited the station, the work of resurfacing the first platform was under way. The work on the arrival terminal is yet to be completed. All five platforms don't have fully covered shelters.
The entrance arch is under construction with scaffolding still in place, and the buses could not move into the station premises. Railway sources said the contractor delayed the commencement of the works, and now the works are in full swing. 'We expect all the works will be completed by October 2025', officials of Tiruchy Division of Southern Railway told TNIE.