The sprawling 110 acres of land owned by the Railway in the Kathrikadavu-Ponnurunni area might become Kerala’s rail transit hub, with stakeholders brainstorming on how best to convert the land into an integrated coaching terminal (ICT), which would include a station bigger than Ernakulam Junction.
The land now houses the Railway coaching depot and marshalling yard, while the rail line to Kottayam cuts through the premises.
The optimal utilisation of the land will decongest Ernakulam Junction and Town stations and also ensure faster movement of trains through the State where the fastest train plies at less than 60 km per hour speed. The biggest advantage of the ICT project would be that there is no need of land acquisition, Railway sources said. Passengers, residents’ associations, trade bodies and NGOs began intensifying their demand to make optimal use of the said land after Vyttila Mobility Hub was commissioned in 2011.
When contacted, official sources confirmed that a consolidated proposal on readying more infrastructure at the huge tract of land to convert it into an ICT is being readied. “This includes a railway station having 15 platforms or even more. The proposal will soon be submitted to the Thiruvananthapuram Divisional Railway Manager.”
Easy connectivity
“It gains relevance since the two main railway stations are located in the western part of Kochi, while the city and business activities are fast expanding eastward, beyond NH Bypass. Connectivity will not be a problem since the 110-acre Railway land is located around 200 metres from the M.G. Road-Thammanam-Pullepady-NH Bypass Road which is all set for being widened to four lane. There is already a link road to the premises which would have to be widened.”
The ICT cum railway station proposal would become inevitable when track doubling is completed through Kottayam and Alappuzha, following which more trains can operate in the State. Already, trains are detained for long durations in the suburbs due to the shortage of platforms and lines in Ernakulam.
Congested stations
In Ernakulam Junction, only six of the total 10 lines have platforms and only two are over 700 metres long to cater to lengthy trains. Constructing more lines here is impossible due to unavailability of land. In Ernakulam Town only two of the total four lines are platform lines and acquiring land to hew out more lines is near impossible. Thus, the excess land available at the marshalling yard is ideal for the project.
Passengers residing in residential areas near NH Bypass, Kakkanad and Thripunithura will be a relieved lot as they would not have to cross congested roads and bridges in the city to board trains if the project becomes a reality.
This will also minimise time taken for shunting, since the coaching depot is located 1.6 km from Ernakulam Junction station, official sources said.
More number of trains also means the need for more pit and stabling lines, since each pit line can cater to only three trains each day. The premises now has 23 pit and stabling lines where trains call at for regular maintenance. Fifteen of these lines are under utilised, sources said.
