Chennai: Congress MP from Mayiladuthurai, R Sudha has written to Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, seeking creation of an “East Coast Railway” spanning the state’s 1,076-km coastline from Pulicat near Chennai to Kanyakumari. She suggested naming the project “Chola Railways” to celebrate the maritime legacy of the Chola dynasty.The line, she said, would connect coastal cities, towns and fishing settlements that currently lack uninterrupted rail access along the shoreline. The proposed corridor passes through 14 coastal districts, including Thiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur, Thoothukudi, and Tirunelveli. Sudha said the corridor would improve access to pilgrimage centres such as Rameswaram, Velankanni church and Nagore dargah, which attract devotees from across the country. “Devotees could board a train and travel along the coast to reach Rameswaram instead of depending on multiple road or rail connections,” she said. The coastline hosts three major fishing harbours, three medium fishing harbours and 363 fish landing centres. She said the railway could improve marine trade and logistics while also aiding movement of defence personnel and materials along the coast when required. Southern Railway officials said coastal rail projects have been proposed in the past, including the 179-km Chennai–Cuddalore line via Mamallapuram and Puducherry proposed in the mid-2000s. But it was stalled due to funding issues and lack of cost-sharing. As a result, coastal districts rely largely on road corridors such as the East Coast Road, while rail connectivity remains inland and fragmented.
