‘No plan for cement yard at Thiruvalla railway station’

Railway Minister writes to P.J. Kurien on the issue

Work on the basement of the proposed escalator progressing at the Thiruvalla railway station. Photo: Leju Kamal

Railways have decided to drop a plan to develop a cement yard at the goods shed of the Thiruvalla railway station following public protest.

The Thiruvalla People’s Movement (TPM) had highlighted the health problems caused by pollution while loading and unloading cement bags at the goods yard near the passenger platform at the station.

TPM leaders Jacob Kurien and Jacob Varghese, alleging inaction of railway authorities, had demanded the intervention of Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P.J.Kurien in the issue.

The Thiruvalla municipal council too had passed a resolution demanding Railways to shift the goods yard from the station to the adjacent Nalukody or Perunthuruthy.

Letter

In a letter to Mr. Kurien, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said a committee comprising J.B.Koshy, former Chief Justice of the Patna High Court, and M.Ravindra, former Railway Board Chairman, had deliberated upon the suggestion of shifting the goods shed from the station.

The committee recommended that “in view of the existing volume of traffic handled at Thiruvalla, expansion of the goods unloading area is not warranted”. It stated that “Railways can continue to deal with traffic after ensuring pollution control measures. An alternative site can be studied, later, when the volume of traffic is justified.”

Mr. Goyal also apprised Mr. Kurien that Railways had accepted the recommendations of the committee in toto.

The TPM leaders said if not for the intervention of Mr. Kurien, Railways would have executed the anti-environment cement yard project in the town. They said Railways had not complied with the directives of the Kerala State Pollution Control Board, Kerala State Human Rights Commission, and the High Court concerning the yard.

The TPM claimed Railways had neglected the station. Its leaders said the only railway station in Pathanamthitta district was plagued by inadequacies. Roofing of the platforms had remained incomplete, leaving commuters at the mercy of the elements.

The information centre at the station was not functioning for want of staff. The work on the escalator connecting the platforms, funded by Mr. Kurien and local MP Anto Antony, had not gained pace.