Ernakulam-Kayamkulam track doubling gets Rs. 35 cr.

The Railways had earmarked Rs. 300 crore in the budget for track doubling on the stretch.

Ernakulam-Kayamkulam track doubling through Kottayam has got a shot in the arm with the Railway handing over Rs. 35 crore more for the work.

The arrival of funds comes at a time when the agency is getting ready to commission the doubled track between Mulanthuruthy and Piravom in December. “All work is over and we are awaiting inspection by the Commissioner for Railway Safety,” said Dani Thomas, Chief Administrative Officer of Southern Railway.

Track doubling of the stretch was delayed by about five years due to delay in land acquisition and electrification works. Ernakulam Area Manager of Southern Railway Rajesh Chandran said travel time through Kottayam would be reduced by over 15 minutes once trains began service through the second track. “Prior to commissioning, train services in the corridor will be disrupted for a day for cut and connection works,” he said.

Mr. Thomas told

The Hindu that the sanctioning of Rs. 35 crore had taken funds given this fiscal for track doubling to Rs. 280 crore.

As much as Rs. 245 crore was handed over earlier this year to the State government to speed up land acquisition. The Railways had earmarked Rs. 300 crore in the budget for track doubling on the stretch. About Rs. 20 crore more is awaited.

“More funds are needed since doubling the 26-km-long Kurupunthara-Chingavanam stretch alone needs Rs. 100 crore. Doubling of Piravom-Vaikom-Kurupunthara and Changanassery-Tiruvalla-Chengannur stretches will be completed in 2015. This will considerably speed up trains plying through Kottayam,” Mr. Thomas said.

In Alappuzha route, doubling work is confined mainly to the Ambalapuzha-Harippad corridor, since the pace of land acquisition is very slow. The Railway has demanded that the State government bear the cost of land acquisition and 50 per cent of the track-doubling cost on the Ernakulam-Kumbalam-Turavur stretch, something which the State has not committed so far.

All Kerala Railway Users’ Association has, in the meantime, demanded urgent commissioning of Mulanthuruthy-Piravom stretch since the influx of Sabarimala pilgrims has increased congestion in trains. “Track doubling through both Kottayam and Alappuzha is crucial to prevent late running of trains and also to introduce new trains,” said Paul Manvettom, its president.