KOCHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the state-of-the-art redevelopment of the Ernakulam south, north and Kollam railway stations, virtually, on Thursday. The Ernakulam south and north stations will be redeveloped at a cost of Rs 445 crore and Rs 226 crore, respectively. Both station buildings will be demolished in three phases and replaced with multi-storied ones in two years, said an official. Test piling was done at the Ernakulam south station earlier this month. The estimated cost for Kollam station is Rs 388 crore.
The three stations will be equipped with facilities such as dedicated arrival/departure corridors, aesthetically designed interiors with facilities for differently-abled passengers, sky-walks, parking lots, attractive landscape with gardens and inter-modal transport facilities. In line with the government’s ambitious Aatmanirbhar Bharat, these railway stations will be equipped with solar panels, sewage treatment plants, energy-efficient lighting and rain-water harvesting facilities.
Modi will also dedicate the Kuruppanthara-Kottayam-Chingavanam double line to the nation on Thursday. He will also flag off a special train in the route. The fully electrified double-track railway line between Chingavanam and Ettumanoor railway stations in Kottayam district was commissioned on May 30. The double track became a reality after more than 20 years. The sanction for the doubling of the Kayamkulam-Kottayam-Ernakulam route was given way back in 2001. Clearance was given initially for work on the Ernakulam-Mulanthuruthy stretch. Other areas were covered subsequently.
The opening of the second line earned Kerala the distinction of a state having a fully electrified double track. The PM will also dedicate the electrification of the Kollam-Punalur single-line section to the nation. A railway official said a special train, most probably a memu, might also be flagged off on the occasion.
New service
A new memu express train will be introduced between Ernakulam and Kayamkulam on Friday. Two pairs of passenger trains, currently operated in the Kollam-Punalur section, will be converted into memu services.