While the fund allocation for the development of the railway network in Kerala has been going up for the last three financial years, the allocation for the creation of the much-needed passenger amenities and doubling is on the decline.
The money spent on projects in the Thiruvananthapuram and Palakkad railway division that was ₹404.45 crore in 2014-15 was increased to ₹410.35 crore in 2015-16 and to ₹427.83 crore in 2016-17 as per the performance report released by the Railways. But, the funds for creating passenger amenities has gone down from ₹25.89 crore in 2014-15 to ₹24.17 crore in 2015-16 and to ₹23.58 crore in 2016-17.
In the case of doubling, the money spent has gone down from ₹324.55 crore in 2015-16 to ₹294.97 crore in 2016-17. A sum of ₹273.19 crore was spent for doubling in 2014-15. In 2016-17, the doubling between Thiruvalla and Chengannur (9 km), 8 km from Thiruvalla to Changanacherry and 12 km from Kuruppanthura to Piravom Road was completed.
Of the ₹427.83 crore utilised for infrastructure development in 2016-17, ₹64.09 crore was used for laying a new line, ₹249.97 crore for doubling, ₹4.79 crore for gauge conversion and ₹63.98 crore for road overbridge and road underbridge.
The 20 km from Sengottai to New Aryankavu and 8 km from Punalur to Edamon was broadgauged and thrown open for traffic during this period. The 82-km electrified line from Charavattur to Mangaluru Junction was also completed.
Other key infrastructure facilities created during the period include additional two lines, two platforms with 24-bogie length at Vaikom Road, Kuruppanthura, Thiruvalla and Changancherry. New station building and goods shed at Nilambur road, modern electronic interlocking facility at Palakkad, Lakkidi and Ottapalam stations and full rake freight loading facility at Palakkad Jucntion was created.
Three pairs of trains — Howrah-Ernakulam Antyodyaya Express, Kochuveli-Indore Express, Ernakulam Junction-Hatia Express, 925 special trains and 38 pairs of Mail/Express trains and five pairs of passenger trains were permanently augmented in 2015-16.
Utilising the ₹23.58 crore for passenger amenities in 2016-17, onboard housekeeping services were introduced in 10 trains, she toilets were set up in nine stations and wi-fi facility in five stations. The novel initiatives include women facilitation centre in Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram, emergency medical facility in Ernakulam Junction and Thrissur and premium parking slot in Aluva. In addition, a host of safety and security measures were rolled out in Kerala.
“It is not a case of non-utilisation of funds as all the money provided have been spent,” Divisional Railway Manager Prakash Bhutani told The Hindu . The division had asked for more funds from the Railway Board through the zonal railways for the passenger amenities.
