Railways have again pressed the case of the third line on the 84-km Ernakulam-Shoranur corridor and Phase II development of the Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) shed at Kollam Junction for inclusion in the forthcoming budget.
The coaching terminal at Nemom along the Thiruvananthapuram Central- Kanyakumari line is the third major project that has figured on the list.
The key projects for the development of the rail network have been proposed for inclusion in the Works Programme 2018-19, a railway official told The Hindu .
Going by the present estimate, the third line from Ernakulam to Shoranur will cost over ₹1,000 crore, Phase II development of the MEMU shed at Kollam ₹14 crore, and the coaching terminal at Nemom ₹67 crore.
The move for the third line has come at a time when the State is exploring the feasibility of a third and fourth rail line from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod.
Rail India Technical & Economic Services Ltd (RITES), a public sector unit under Railways, had been tasked to prepare a feasibility report of the third and fourth line on the 574-km corridor by Kerala Rail Development Corporation Ltd. (KRDCL), a special purpose vehicle set up for cost sharing of viable projects between the State and Railways.
Back to 1902
It was in 1902 that a metre gauge was commissioned on the Shoranur-Ernakulam stretch. It was converted to broad gauge in 1938. The second line on the stretch was commissioned in 1987 and the corridor was electrified in 1999. The third line is needed as more trains will be operated to the south with the completion of doubling.
Though Railways favour Phase II of the MEMU shed at Kollam, it is doubtful in view of the rapid rail transit system proposed under the KRDCL on the 125.65-km Thiruvananthapuram-Chengannur section.
Of the three projects, the coaching terminal stands a good chance to make it to the budget as it has the backing of the Bharatiya Janata Party, with O. Rajagopal representing the Nemom constituency in the Assembly. Besides, Railways own 12.14 hectares adjacent to the Nemom station.
The projects figured on the 69th DRUCC of the Thiruvananthapuram Railway Division that met under Divisional Railway Manager Prakash Bhutani here on Friday.
