KOLLAM: Aimed at developing Kollam railway station to international standards, the Ministry of Railways will conduct a feasibility study in the district. The decision was taken in a meeting of the Railway Board here on Saturday.
Kollam railway station is set for a grand makeover that will conform to global standards. The board has decided to upgrade the station in south Kerala. The Indian Railway Station Development Corporation has been tasked with the development activities. The study will focus on developing the station’s infrastructure using revenue generated by lending vacant railway land to private partners for commercial purposes.
The development will transform the station into the commercial heart of the city. Other facilities like malls, restaurants and theatre will be built with private partnerships. The land will be leased to a special purpose vehicle. Railways will own the land and by the end of the lease period, it will also own whatever built under the private partnership.
Other developments N K Premachandran, MP, earlier submitted a proposal to the Railway Board for making pit lines so as to start train services from Kollam. “If the proposal materialises, more services can begin and end in Kollam,” the MP said. An amount of `4.1 crore was also allotted to implement the quick-watering system in the station.