Kerala rail plans on track

Thiruvananthapuram: The Railway Board has approved the priority list of projects to be taken up by Kerala Rail Development Corporation Limited (KRDCL), the joint venture between the state and railways for executing rail projects on 51:49 cost-sharing basis including the third and fourth line along the 574-km Thiruv-ananathapuram Central-Kasaragod corridor. This was decided at the meeting between Ashwani Lohani, Chairman Railway Board and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan here on Friday. The state government planned to run high speed trains on the corridor.

However, the railway board chairman pointed out that there were technical issues in running high speed trains, but agreed to run semi high speed trains in the corridor. A survey would be conducted for the purpose.

Cochin Airport link rail, building a terminus at Ernakulam, rail connectivity to the upcoming Vizhinjam seaport were also approved at the meeting. The detailed project report (DPR) of the Thalasserry-Mysore line via Mananthavady will be completed before December 31. 

The total cost of the 247 km line was estimated to be Rs 3,209 crore. The total distance between Thalasserry and Mysore which is 810 km now, will be reduced to 570 km and travel time reduced by 12 hours with the new line.

The railway board also agreed to consider the Erumeli-Punalur line of 65 km linking Sabarimala with an estimated cost of '1,600 crore.  Ettumannor-Pala line of 15 km linking it with Sabariline was also under consideration. Project reports will be prepared for the development of Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Varkala stations. The work of the Kochuveli terminal will completed by March 2019 if land was available.

The absence of line strength was the reason for not running new trains in the Kerala sector. It was in this background that the state decided to invest in railway projects in the state.

No shifting of TVM railway division

Railway Board chairman Ashwani Lohani has said that the Railways has no plans to hand over 160 kilometres of railway line of Thiruvananthapuram division to the Madurai division. The rumours circulating in this regard is devoid of facts, he added.

The railway board chairman told reporters here on Friday that the passengers association of Kanyakumari had petitioned the railway board saying that the Thiruvananthapuram division was neglecting the interest of the passengers from the sector. 

This petition had the demand of handing over the railway lines to Madurai division. This was forwarded to the Southern Railways for comments. There was no other decision on the issue, said Mr Lohani.

The rumours were that the railway was planning to handover the busy Nemom-Nagercoil- Kanyakumari and Nagercoil-Tirunelveli corridors under the Thiruvananthapuram rail division to the Madurai division.

The rumours circulated after the Railway Board’s letter to the General Manager, Southern Railway, seeking his comments on the transfer of the two lines in exchange of the Shencottah-Kollam section from Madurai to the Thiruvananthapuram division sent in June 6.

The letter of the Director, Efficiency and Research, Railway Board, to the General Manager had quoted the earlier letters of the board on November 2, 2015, December 1, 2015, January 7, 2016, August 23, 2016, and February 20, 2017 raising the same demand.