KOCHI: Redevelopment of stations, improvement of passenger facilities and expeditious completion of projects topped the agenda as Lok Sabha members from constituencies under the Thiruvananthapuram division held a virtual conference on Wednesday with Southern Railway (SR) general manager John Thomas on various issues related to train services. The MPs offered suggestions to develop the Southern Railway and improve services.
Taking up issues faced by Ernakulam district, Hibi Eden delved on the development of the Ernakulam marshalling yard into a new terminal. The SR general manager said the matter has been referred to the Railway Board for consideration and a decision is awaited. Regarding the development of the Ernakulam Junction railway station, the top railway official said, “The redevelopment work was entrusted with the Southern Railway in October 2021. It will be executed as a railway work as and when sanctioned. The plan and estimate have been finalised and will be submitted. Once the sanction is obtained, tender for the work will be floated.”
In the case of the extension of platform numbers 2, 4, 5 and 6 at Ernakulam Junction, the general manager said the work involves a major yard remodelling. “It requires shifting of all the points and signals towards Shoranur. A work involving these extensions will be proposed after study,” he said. A second foot-overbridge (FOB) has been a pressing need at the Ernakulam Town railway station. “Ernakulam Town is an NSG3 category station on the Shoranur-Ernakulam section. Hence, tender to provide additional FOB has been awarded but the work is yet to start. The reason is the delay in the arrival of the mix design details. But the work will be completed by September 2022,” Thomas said.
On the development of the Tripunithura station, he said: “It would be a difficult task. The Tripunithura yard deals with goods trains from Ernakulam to Kottayam and Kayamkulam Junction areas, or from Irumpanam to Tirunelveli in both directions. Such non-stop goods trains cannot be taken in platform loop line causing delays. Hence, a platform on the loop line is necessary to stop trains.”
He said the use of the abandoned steel siding line has been examined but land is unavailable for the construction and extension of the platform. “Mainline platform construction involves major yard changes with slewing of tracks and will affect running of goods trains and non-stop trains if the mainline platform is occupied,” the general manager said.