Kerala: Land acquisition has railway project on hold

Kochi: Despite being one of the first projects to be approved for implementation on a cost sharing basis by the railways and the state government, renovation of the Old Railway Station behind the High Court is strangled in land acquisition issues. The main issue is with regard to rehabilitating 22 families living on the premises of the 42-acre land at the middle of the city. While the Kochi Corporation insists that the railways need to find the land for rehabilitation of the families, the railways made it clear it won’t acquire any land for the project realization.

“We’ve readied a Rs 14-crore estimate to revive the station and tracks. The Southern Railway head office has sought a masterplan for the works, which include provision of a pitline. However, it’s not possible to acquire any land for the project (for rehabilitation),” said Prakash Bhutani, divisional railway manager. However, the train services to Harbour Terminus station will be started by April. “We’ve asked for DEMU (Diesel Electric Multiple Unit) rake, however, the same is yet to be allotted from the Southern Railway headquarters. We’ll start the services with diesel engines in that case,” he said.

The officer clarified that the project for construction of an RoB at Vaduthala, for which a sum of Rs 35 crore was sanctioned by the state government, has not been shelved. On basic amenities at South railway station, he said 13 pay and use toilets, including five bathrooms and three latrines, are being set up. “Steps have also been taken to ensure full roof cover in northern end of platform one and six."