ALAPPUZHA: The Southern Railway has decided to close down 11 railway crossings on the Ernakulam-Alappuzha-Kayamkulam coastal route .
The level crossings proposed to be closed are located at Kothakulangara near Cherthala, Ponnamveli Junction, near Uzhuva Puthiyakavu Junction, near CMS Junction, Providence Kavala Junction, near Anjilippalam, in front of Pooppallikavu temple, NH 66 bypass, near the Engineering College at Punnapra, near Evoor Sree Krishna Swamy temple, near Vazhapally Sree Bhadrakali temple, and near Puliyara Sree Krishnavilasam High School. A railway official said the proposed closures were part of efforts to reduce accidents and increase train speeds.
When the coastal line was constructed in the 1980s, several level crossings were provided in response to local demands for connectivity, resulting in some crossings being located just 300 to 500 metres apart, the official said.
The Railways subsequently began reducing the number of closely spaced crossings by constructing road overbridges (RoBs) and underpasses. Around 10 underpasses have been built along the section over the past decade, the official said.
The latest proposal targets crossings located less than a kilometre apart. The Railways also plans to provide road overbridges or underpasses at other crossings with heavy traffic, the official added, saying the measures would improve safety and facilitate faster train operations.
Meanwhile, K C Venugopal, MP, has urged the Union Railway Minister to withdraw the move to close 11 level crossings along the Ernakulam-Alappuzha-Kayamkulam coastal railway route, warning that the decision would cause hardship to residents.
In a letter to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Venugopal said the Railways’ haste in proceeding with the closure of level crossings was unacceptable.
He also urged the Alappuzha district collector not to issue no-objection certificates for the closures.
Venugopal pointed out that shutting down level crossings in densely populated areas would disrupt the movement of local residents and make their daily lives difficult.
The Railways’ proposal to close the crossings and construct parallel roads connecting them to main roads was impractical, as several locations lacked the land and infrastructure required for such projects.
The proposed closures have already triggered protests from local residents and panchayat authorities in the affected areas.
Venugopal also criticised the neglect of the coastal railway route, pointing to delays in track doubling and other development works.
He said the Railways should not proceed with measures that would further inconvenience people while essential infrastructure development remained pending.
He urged the Railway Minister to ensure that decisions directly affecting public were not imposed unilaterally and called for the proposed closures to be reconsidered.
Track’ record
Route: Ernakulam- Alappuzha-Kayamkulam
Distance: 102km
Initial survey started: 1975
Construction started: April 15, 1979
First phase Ernakulam to Alappuzha commissioned: October 1989
Second phase from Alappuzha to Kayamkulam commissioned: 1992
Number of railway stations: 18
Major stations: Alappuzha, Cherthala, Haripad and Ambalappuzha
Double line completed between Kayamkulam and Ambalappuzha