The southern railway has started work on an elephant underpass between Madukkarai and Ettimadai railway stations. The work was halted for nine hours from 730am to 430pm, and the stretch was open for trains after 430pm. Four mainline electric multiple unit memu train services were fully cancelled and two other train services were partially cancelled to facilitate the work. The underpass which would be six meters high and 183 meters wide is being set up at a cost of Rs. 749 crore on an outofturn basis. Rti activist R Pandiaraja said the project would help conservation of wild elephants, but he said the speed limit on the a and b lines should be monitored by the forest and railway departments.
