KOCHI: As Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu gets ready to present the maiden Railway Budget of the NDA Government, the Kochiites expect that some of the long pending demands of the city will be given a priority in his budget as Kochi is the commercial capital of Kerala.
The demand for introducing Suburban Rail Service or Mainline Electrical Multiple Unit (MEMU) through the existing network is a major recommendation made in the City Mobility Plan for Kochi. The promoters of the project including the Town Planning Committee chairman and former Mayor of Kochi, K J Sohan and other civic representatives from the area were demanding the implementation of the project for the last several years.
According to the promoters, the say the Old Railway Station near the High Court, which is in a dilapidated condition, can be remodelled into a suburban service hub. The Railways own 22 acres of land at the old Railway station and the proposed MEMU service will connect the old station with Cochin Harbour Terminus in Willingdon Island. The Mattanchery Halt Railway Station in Willingdon Island can be the suburban train interchange node for places including Palluruthy, Edakochi, Kumbalangi, Chellanam, Mattanchery, Edakochi and Fort Kochi.
A boat jetty is already there in the area and a bus terminal adjacent to the Railway station can make the interchange possible. “With the introduction of Suburban services, the Transport network of Kochi and its suburbs will be further accelerated with better connectivity. It will be a perfect feeder system to the Kochi Metro Rail which goes through the heart of the city and also will also help the Metro Rail authorities in fulfilling their dream of a better transportation network in the city,” according to the supporters of the proposal.
Every time, expectations are high that a provision will be made in the budget for the commencement of suburban train service, but that has never happened. Along with the renovation of the old Railway Station, the Railways can also extend services to Island, after renovating the Harbour Terminus. The entire West Kochi area will benefit if passenger and express trains are extended to the Island. At present only goods trains conduct service on the route.
But, the goods carriers have to change their engine at Ernakulam South Railway station as the stretch from Atlantis to the Harbour Terminus has not been electrified. However, to electrify this route the Railways need permission from Indian Navy, particularly the stretch near Katari Bagh. The Navy had already expressed concerns about the safety of its flights if overhead lines were pulled adjacent to the airport. The signaling and communication systems also have to be re-established in the harbour line.