No need for pit line at West Hill: Southern Railway General Manager

Says facility needed only if more trains are sanctioned

Southern Railway General Manager Rakesh Mishra (left) with Divisional Railway Manager (Palakkad) Anand Prakash visiting the old railway over-bridge in Kozhikode. The bridge is proposed to be lifted as part of the ongoing electrification project. Photo: K. Ragesh

Southern Railway General Manager Rakesh Mishra has said that there is no need for a pit line at West Hill here now. “Such a facility will be required only if more trains are introduced to the region,” Mr. Mishra told reporters here on Monday during a visit to the station to inspect the qualitative improvements at the station as part of upgrading it as a world-class station.

Dismissing the allegation that substandard coaches were being used on the trains in Kerala while good ones were being given to other States, Mr. Mishra said that it was an allegation all States made against each other. “There is no truth in it,” he said.

Mr. Mishra said that though the work on raising the level of the old railway overbridge adjacent to the station as part of the electrification process would be completed in a month’s time, the work on raising the approach road to the same height would take some more time.

“We expect to complete the entire work within one-and-a-half months,” he said.

Expresses satisfaction

Expressing satisfaction over the recent improvements in facilities at the station, including that of the enhancement of parking area, Mr. Mishra said that the electrification work from Shoranur to Kozhikode was almost complete and would be commissioned soon. Only the inspection of the Commissioner of Railway Safety to check various parameters to find out whether the electrified track was fit for operation of trains remained. “The inspection will be completed by the end of May,” he said.