PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss has written to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, urging him to expedite 19 long-pending railway infrastructure projects in Tamil Nadu, warning that prolonged delays are hampering connectivity and economic growth across the state. The letter, dispatched on Tuesday, 10 November 2026, highlights a sharp gap between financial allocations and actual progress on the ground.

The Scale of Delay

According to figures cited by Anbumani in his letter, the 19 stalled projects — comprising eight new railway lines, eight track-doubling works, and three gauge conversion projects — remained incomplete as of 1 April 2026. Their combined estimated cost stands at ₹27,282 crore, yet expenditure so far amounts to only ₹8,811 crore, representing less than 33 per cent of the total projected investment.

Anbumani noted that a significant portion of even that spending has been eroded by escalating construction costs and inflation, further undermining real progress on the projects.

New Railway Lines: A Near-Standstill

The situation is particularly stark for eight sanctioned new railway line projects covering 811 kilometres, with a projected investment of ₹15,653 crore. Despite several of these projects having been announced more than two decades ago, cumulative expenditure stands at just ₹1,514 crore — under 10 per cent of estimated cost. Only 24 kilometres of new track, approximately 2.95 per cent of the proposed network, has actually been laid.

Anbumani identified inadequate project-specific funding and delays in land acquisition as the two primary structural bottlenecks blocking implementation.

Funding Gap Despite Record Allocation

While welcoming the Union Government's allocation of ₹7,611 crore for Tamil Nadu in the 2026–27 financial year, Anbumani cautioned that increased budgetary commitments have not translated into meaningful on-ground delivery. He argued that the widening gap between announced outlays and actual construction activity was undermining public confidence in central railway investment promises.

This comes amid broader concerns across several southern states about equitable distribution of railway capital expenditure relative to the North-South ratio of network expansion.

What PMK Has Proposed

Anbumani has called for the creation of a special monitoring committee comprising representatives from the Union and Tamil Nadu governments, railway officials, technical experts, and district administrations. The committee, he suggested, should coordinate funding, accelerate land acquisition, and submit monthly progress reports to identify bottlenecks and ensure time-bound implementation.

He also stressed that extending railway connectivity to tier-II cities and underserved regions was critical for industrial growth, investor attraction, and improved passenger services across the state.

What Happens Next

The Railway Ministry is yet to formally respond to the letter. With the 2026–27 budget cycle already under way, observers say a structured monitoring mechanism — if accepted — could become the template for similar stalled projects in other states. The pace of the Centre's response to Anbumani's proposal is likely to shape PMK's political posture on railway infrastructure heading into the next electoral cycle in Tamil Nadu.