The commencement of the Mainline Electric Multiple Units (MEMU) in the Kollam-Ernakulam-Kollam and Kollam-Nagercoil-Kollam stretches is being delayed for various reasons.
The main hurdle is the delay in completing the maintenance-car shed in Kollam, according to a top railway official. The schedule for the two daily MEMU services were announced in the railway timetable that came into effect from July this year since it was expected that the work of the shed would be over by then.
The estimate for the MEMU car shed was Rs.8.8 crore. There was no provision for the service building in the initial plan. Sources said Rs.1 crore was allocated later for constructing the service building. The construction wing then sought another Rs. 4 crore for completing the works. “It seems the additional funds will not come through soon,” he added.
The MEMU service was envisaged to cater to the short distance commuters and to wean them away from long distance trains. These services are to replace passenger trains, with 14 to 15 coaches, operating in the State. But the two MEMU rakes provided by the Railway Board have only eight cars. The Railway Division authorities have informed the board that it is impossible to replace the existing trains with these MEMU rakes. At least, MEMU rakes with 12 cars are needed to replace the passenger trains, according to them.
The Railways have been insisting on two dedicated lines for MEMU services as they cannot be mixed with the other rail traffic. But, delay in acquiring land has forced the Railways to introduce MEMU services in the existing tracks.
Saturated network
Lack of automatic signals and network saturation are the other hurdles faced by the Railways in operating more MEMU services. The Thiruvananthapuram-Kollam section is 120 per cent saturated. The figure for Ernakulam-Kayamkulam (via Alappuzha) is 140 per cent, and via Kottayam 160 per cent. The Ernakulam-Thrissur section is saturated by 118 per cent.
The Railways have announced one MEMU services in the Kollam-Ernakulam-Kollam section (66302/66303) in the morning and evening and another in the Kollam-Nagercoil-Kollam stretch (66304/66305) in the afternoon and evening. “The proposal is to commence the services in December by using the MEMU car shed at Palakkad for maintenance. General Manager, Southern Railway, has issued instructions to this effect,” the official said.
