Railway 'kills' old station
I don’t see the project taking off immediately: Misra
Kochi: Kochiites were hoping the Old Ernakulam Goods (ERG) station would be converted into a passenger terminus exclusively for suburban and MEMU trains but visiting Southern Railway General Manager, Rakesh Misra has given the idea a thumbs down finding it unfeasible at the location suggested.
“I don’t see the project taking off in the immediate future as we don’t have enough land and all we can build here is a two-lane railway track. Also the narrow road leading to the station is a chicken’s neck and not big enough for vehicles arriving at a railway station. There is not enough land here for a shunting and maintenance unit too,” Misra said after inspecting the ERG station located behind the high court.
“I don’t see any point in allocating any funds for this project in the railway budget. We could reconsider it after five years,” he added, as he wound up his short trip to the Ernakulam Goods Yard .
The officer also inspected the coaching depot, Edapally railway station and the Vallarpadam route. Earlier this year, a Rs 300 crore project had been presented to the Railway Board for renovation of the goods station, making room for five trip lines, three pitlines and three stabling lines in its 40-acre grounds.
Next: Protection council opposes move
Protection council opposes move
Kochi : The Southern Railway General Manager’s decision against converting the old Ernakulam Goods station into a passenger terminus exclusively for suburban and MEMU trains was greeted with disappointment and anger by peoples’ representatives and several organisations.
A committee for the development of the old railway station, the Ernakulam Old Railway Station Vikasana Samithi, announced an agitation until the authorities renovated it, “The railway department had conducted a detailed study and found the project feasible.
How can Misra say it’s not feasible after a five minute visit?” asked K P Hari Varma, general convenor of the samiti, arguing that 48 acres was available for development and not 38 as claimed by the railways.
CPM leader, M M Lawrence, said that the renovation of the old railway station was vital for the future development. “Land in a prime area of the city remains unutilised,” he lamented.