The Thirunageswaram railway station on the Tiruchi-Thanjavur-Villupuram mainline section, near Kumbakonam, is to be upgraded as a block station soon.

According to sources, the railways has recently called for tenders to upgrade the railway station, hitherto functioning as a halt station, into a block station with additional facility for loading and unloading of goods.

The move is sequel to the persistent demand from railway users associations in Thanjavur district to shift the goods yard from Kumbakonam railway station to Thirunageswaram, where the railways has adequate land to accommodate goods train operations.

As per the proposal, a double purpose second line will be laid at Thirunageswaram, which could be used for loading and unloading, as well as as a loop line for passenger train services on days when the operations are not carried out. If needed, the railways could also add a third line to make the Thirunageswaram railway station into a full-fledged block station.

Since a new renewable alcohol-based biofuel manufacturing plant has come up in the vicinity of Thirunageswaram, the loading and unloading operations at the proposed yard will span across the year and not specific months coinciding with the agricultural operations in the delta region, they pointed out.

Further, shifting the railway goods yard out of Kumbakonam will ease traffic congestion in the city as the lorries carrying paddy for delivery to Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation’s modern rice mill at Thirunageswaram and rice from the mill to the Kumbakonam railway station can be avoided.

At present, paddy, rice, fertilizers and cement are the main goods handled at Kumbakonam railway station. The move will also help augment the space available at the railway station to add more passenger-oriented amenities, the sources added.