Farmers Rally Against Proposed Railway Alignment
Agricultural communities in Dharmapuri district have launched a significant protest, urging Indian Railways to reconsider the alignment of the proposed Morappur-Dharmapuri broad gauge line. The farmers are demanding a 500-meter rerouting of the project to preserve valuable farmland and prevent the potential displacement of more than 300 families from their homes and livelihoods.
Historical Context and Current Project Status
The railway connection in this region dates back to the colonial era when the original Morappur-Dharmapuri metre gauge line was inaugurated in 1906 by the Madras Railway Company. This historical line was later extended to Hosur in 1913 before services were suspended during World War II, leading to the track falling into complete disuse over time.
In a significant development, the central government approved a ₹100 crore project in 2019 to restore this connection as a 36-kilometer broad-gauge link with an initial target completion date set for 2023. The project has now entered the land acquisition phase across 18 villages in Harur, Pappireddipatty and Dharmapuri taluks.
Land Acquisition Details and Political Intervention
Official records indicate that of the 194 acres of leasehold land required for the project, acquisition notices have been issued for 134 acres under the Land Acquisition Act. Work is currently progressing on preparing diversion routes covering 60 acres intended to benefit farmers in Mookanur, Chettikarai, Aledharmapuri and Reddy Alli.
Additionally, the project requires 33 acres of poramboke land, with 18 acres already processed and 15 acres proposed for diversion. The controversy reached Parliament during a Lok Sabha session on December 4, 2023, when the then Dharmapuri MP Dr Senthil Kumar expressed gratitude for the project approval while simultaneously advocating for route modification.
"The railway project should be implemented on a different route, approximately 500 metres away from the railway line, so that the agricultural fields of the people of these two villages are not affected," Dr Kumar stated during the parliamentary proceedings.
Community Division and Allegations
The dispute intensified in Mookanur village regarding the location of a proposed new railway station. During a meeting chaired by Dharmapuri district collector R Sadhess in August, 205 attendees participated in a vote that revealed significant community division. The results showed that 139 participants favored the old location while only 66 supported an alternative site.
However, the voting process itself became controversial when some villagers alleged that outsiders had participated in the poll, potentially skewing the results. Frustrated by the lack of response to their concerns, local residents have escalated their protest by submitting a petition to Tamil Nadu agriculture and farmers welfare minister M R K Panneerselvam through Dharmapuri DMK MP A Mani.
Despite these efforts, farmers claim that no concrete action has been taken to address their legitimate concerns about protecting agricultural land and preventing large-scale displacement. The farming community continues to hope that the central government will reconsider the alignment and implement new measures to safeguard affected families.
