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The request came from the [[Government]] of [[Madras Presidency]] at [[Fort St George]] <ref>Z/E/4/25/R866; P711 Roads, Cuddalore to Salem, formation of cart, sanctioned to connect with sea port and question as to fitness for tram or light”; 1854-1855 </ref>. The reply from the [[Madras Engineers]] was quite specific in that 'a new road sixty six miles in length from Cuddalore to the boundary of the Salem District, there to meet the Salem Road already in existence, by which means of communication between Salem and the nearest seaport would become open to the produce of that district and the carriage of salt from the coast facilitates' <ref>Z/E/4/25/R866; P712-713 Roads, Cuddalore to Salem, formation of cart, sanctioned to connect with sea port and question as to fitness for tram or light”; 1854-1855 </ref>.

The suggestion of the Chief Engineer , Colonel [[Arthur Thomas Cotton]], 'that on the above lines of road a tramway or light railway calculated for a slow safe speed should be substituted for roads of ordinary construction ' <ref>Z/E/4/25/R866; P719-720 Roads, Cuddalore to Salem, formation of cart, sanctioned to connect with sea port and question as to fitness for tram or light”; 1854-1855</ref>.

The Madras government did not think the line in question suitable for the experiment and we expect your (Colonel [[Arthur Thomas Cotton|Cotton]]) concurrence in that view and regard the Salem and Cuddalore Road. Thus here the Government did not approve the building of the railway adjacent to the rough road, but asked that a better road be built. ==Further Information==See '''[[Early Railway Experiments and Proposals]]''' for more information and background.