R. Sudha, Member of Parliament from Mayiladuthurai, has submitted a proposal to the Union Railway Minister for a new East Coast Railway line linking Chennai and Kanniyakumari.
Modelled on the Konkan Railway, the line would run through 14 coastal districts of Tamil Nadu. The State's coastline of about 1,076 km supports the case for such a coastal route. The project is expected to boost tourism, the fishing sector, transport connectivity and the export of marine products.