: Notwithstanding the repeated assurances from the authorities with regard to reviving the project, the proposed railway halt station at Nedumbassery is still hanging fire on account of a delay in closing down the level crossing at Akaparambu.
According to top railway officials, construction of the halt station has been pending owing to a delay in getting the LC gate No 64 at km 80/80-90 closed. As per the rule, a prior permission has to be obtained from the district collector for the step and the department has now written a letter to the Ernkulam district collector for speedy action in this regard. “There are certain impediments in realising the project and the delay in closing the railway gate is the key among them. The matter has been under consideration of the district administration for some time now and it has not made any progress in the recent past,” said Sunil Bajpai, Divisional Railway Manager, Thiruvananthapuram.
Officials with the district administration, meanwhile, maintained that it has already completed the paper works and was waiting for consents from local bodies concerned. The issue, however, seems to be no way near the end with the local residents forming an action council in protest against the move to close down the railway gate on the Kariyadu-Mattoor road. The action council has called for establishing a railway over bridge at the location. Otherwise, traffic along the stretch, which provides a crucial link between National Highway 47 and MC Road, will come to a halt forever. It was in December 2010, that the then Union Minister of State for Railways E. Ahammed laid the foundation stone for the project. The department had also earmarked Rs. 93 lakh for its completion. Aimed at providing a convenient rail link to the airport, the project envisages establishing two rail level platforms with a capacity of 24 coaches along with a ticket booking office under the Railway Over Bridge here.
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Meanwhile, CIAL officials pointed out that the establishment of the station would provide an easy way for outbound cargo consignments even from far away places to the Cochin airport. “The diversion of several international flights from Calicut has forced considerable number of air passengers from the northern parts of the state to chart journeys from here. A quick completion of the project will benefit hundreds of air passengers, especially those from the northern Kerala region,” pointed out a CIAL official.