Railways have sought ₹500 crore in the Union Budget for completing the doubling of the 18-km Ettumanur-Kottayam and Kottayam-Chingavanam corridors, 86.56-km Thiruvananthapuram Central-Kanyakumari line, and the coaching terminal at Nemom.
A sum of ₹15.5 crore has been sought for developing the Chengannur station.
Besides, funds have been sought for an additional platform line at Kochuveli, extension of the MEMU shed in Kollam to handle 12-car MEMU rakes, modernisation of the coaching depot in Ernakulam to handle LHB rakes, and yard modification in Vallathol Nagar station to enable more trains to bypass Shoranur Junction.
Railways expect allocation for splitting the intermediate block sections of Alappuzha-Ambalapuzha (12 km) and Thurvavur-Kumbalam (17 km) into small sections for handling more trains and funds for replacing the obsolete interlocking facilities in 14 stations.
“Priority has been given for completing doubling and improving passenger amenities. Foot overbridges, lifts, escalators, signalling and telecommunication facilities, and safety-related works are expected to get allocation ,” a top railway official said.
A sum of ₹300 crore has been sought for doubling of the rail line to Kanyakumari, ₹100 core for doubling via Kottayam, and ₹116 crore for the Nemom coaching terminal.
Land acquisition
The government has sought ₹207 crore from Railways for acquiring 14.80 ha for doubling 7 km from Thiruvananthapuram Central to Nemom and for the coaching terminal.
The Thiruvananthapuram Central-Kanyakumari doubling is estimated to cost ₹1,431.90 crore. The double line will help Railways operate more trains via Nagercoil and Madurai Junctions. The doubling is also needed for laying the rail connectivity to the Vizhinjam seaport.
The doubling of the much-delayed 620-km line to Mangaluru Junction via Kottayam is set to be completed by December 2021. To ensure that it is completed in 24 months, seven contractors had been entrusted with civil works estimated to cost ₹250 crore. The Railways will seek another ₹100 crore next year, an official of the construction wing said.
