Railways in Kerala: On right track or losing its way?
KOCHI: Kerala has always had a love-hate relationship with the Railways. Even as several projects, including station redevelopment under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS), doubling of tracks and approval of new halts, besides studies on new routes, have been welcomed, under-used facilities and lack of sufficient trains have been sore spots. TNIE tracks the situation on the ground
‘Chugging along smoothly’
Much is happening in the development sphere. According to a railway spokesperson, these include redevelopment of around 13 stations in the Thiruvananthapuram division and 16 in Palakkad division under ABSS. “Besides, five stations in Thiruvananthapuram division and one in Palakkad division are being redeveloped by the construction wing of the Railways.” said a source. “Then there is track-doubling work on the Thiruvananthapuram-Kanyakumari route, which is progressing apace. This will help considerably increase the speed of trains operating on the stretch,” said the spokesperson for Thiruvananthapuram division.
Study on 3rd Ekm-Shoranur line
The speed of trains has always been a problem in both divisions, especially on the stretch between Ernakulam and Shoranur. “To address the issue, a study has been carried out on the feasibility of constructing a third line from Ernakulam to Shoranur. This new line will be devoid of curves. Once curves are removed, trains will be able to achieve a speed of around 110-130km/hr,” said a source.
A new pit line has been sanctioned at Palakkad Junction station, according to a division spokesperson. “This will be crucial to the development of rail transport in the state.” As of now, divisions in the state have nine pit lines (five in Thiruvananthapuram, three at the Ernakulam marshalling yard and one at Palakkad Jn).
Question marks over project
The 116km Angamaly-Erumeli Sabari project continues to be a never-ending puzzle. Uncertainty over the project looms even with completion of the final location survey. Even as the railway board affirms the project is alive and well, lack of progress in construction poses a question mark. According to Jijo P, a member of the forum demanding completion of the line, the project approved 25 years ago remains a non-starter. “Land has been acquired for 70km of track. However, with the ministry not announcing a revised estimate, the status of the project remains in doubt,” he said. According to authorities, “The project has not been shelved. However, we are facing issues with land acquisition.”
Neglected Kottayam terminal project
The Kottayam Coaching (Passenger) Terminal, sanctioned in the 2011 Railway Budget, is another project that is facing neglect. According to Gireesh Babu, who has been fighting to get Kottayam station recognised as a terminus, it is regrettable that the state’s parliamentarians are not trying to help realise the project. “The project will solve the problems faced by train passengers in Kottayam, Idukki and Pathanamthitta districts. A year has passed since six platforms were set up as part of the terminus, but Kottayam is yet to get even a single special train,” he said.
According to railway sources, there are a lot of issues in making Kottayam a terminus. “Thiruvananthapuram terminus is best situated to be an originating and terminating station in both directions. However, Kottayam has the scope to become a junction station once Ernakulam railway stations are developed. There are already some trains originating from and ending at Kottayam,” they said.
‘ROB’bed of promise
As a station holding much promise, Kochuveli remains under utilised, due to the lack of a railway overbridge (ROB) and electrification. Railway sources say the station is not feasible for passenger services. “A DEMU was run on experimental basis, but patronage was found to be below par. The service was discontinued. Then, there is the issue of the level-crossing. Vehicular traffic is very heavy as the place serves as a major junction. Only an ROB can solve the problem,” said a source, adding that electrification is lagging due to the slow response of the Air Force.
Guruvayur-Thirunavaya also on line?
Recently, the project saw some action with the state government dashing a letter to the railway board demanding its implementation. The project has remained a non-starter since it was proposed in 2015. It was in 1995 that the stone for the Guruvayur-Kuttipuram line was laid. The Guruvayur-Thirunavaya alignment was decided later. Budget was allocated and an office for land acquisition was set up. However, following opposition to land acquisition in Malappuram led to the closure of the office in 2015.
UNDERPASS FOR ELEPHANTS
Elephants crossing tracks pose a risk to themselves, and train passengers. Rail lines have proved to be the undoing of many jumbos. Taking this into consideration, two elephant underpasses were sanctioned on Palakkad division’s Walayar-Ettimadai stretch. Construction of one of the underpasses was completed last month and it recently received its first user — a tusker. Work on second underpass, located 1.5km from the first, is progressing.
SABARI PROJECT
Final location survey for the Sabari elevated project is over and sketches have been submitted to the railway board. However, sources said some changes may be made to the alignment. Per the survey, some land may have to be acquired for the proposed line to Pampa.
NEVER THE LINE SHALL MEET...?
TNIE looks at the railway projects announced or sought for the state and the various long-pending demands of passengers
Funds sanctioned under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme
Division No. of stations* Amount
T’Puram 15 I108 cr
Palakkad 26 I195.54 cr
(*Including those in Tamil Nadu)
Suggestions of passengers
*New trains
- New LTT-Kottayam terminus Hamsafar via Panvel–Shoranur–Ernakulam: Daily: 1,350km–Platform return (2 rakes)
- Mangaluru–Madgaon Intercity: 5am (inter-connectivity)
- Ernakulam–Goa (Madgaon)
- Vande Bharat
*Increased frequency/extension sought
- 22113 LTT – Kochuveli Superfast: From biweekly to daily
- 12223 LTT – Ernakulam Jn Duronto: Extension to Kottayam; from bi-weekly to daily
- 12201 LTT – Kochuveli Garib Rath: Make it a daily service
- 22150 Pune-Ernakulam SF via Panvel: Diversion via Kalyan-Panvel to benefit Kalyan passengers. This will obviate the need for engine reversal at Panvel. And extend to Kottayam on platform return basis and increase frequency to daily
- 16381 Pune-Kanyakumari Janata: 46-year-old Jayanti Janata was converted to Pune– Kanyakumari Express without providing an alternative
- Restore Pune-Mumbai section as original or sanction a Mumbai-Kochuveli Hamsafar via Palakkad/Kottayam
Promises & demands
- More trains from Mumbai to Kerala have been a long-standing demand for the past 30+ years. More trains were promised after completion of Konkan Railway line, but nothing happened
- Konkan Railway services were inaugurated on January 26, 1998. Twenty-five years on, not a
- single daily train has been sanctioned from Mumbai to Kerala, except for diversion of 16345 Netravati
- Later, the train was extended to Thiruvananthapuram via Alappuzha. 16381 Jayanti Janata via Pune was extended to Kanyakumari, making it a Tamil Nadu train. Now, the train terminates at Pune, instead
- of Mumbai.
- Later, three biweekly trains were sanctioned after several representations by passengers between 2007 and 2013: 1) 12201 LTT – Kochuveli Garib Rath: Mon, Fri (since Feb 1, 2008)
- 2) 12223 LTT – Ernakulam Jn Duronto: Tue, Sat (since Jan 18, 2011)
- 3) 22113 LTT – Kochuveli SF: Tue, Sat (since Jan 24, 2014)
- There is demand to convert these into daily services. There are also calls for at least two new additional trains from Mumbai to Kerala, preferably a Hamsafar, via Kottayam, as roughly 50% seats are by tourists
- More MEMU services within state have also been demanded