Kottayam: The Indian Railways is set to offer a grand Christmas gift for Kottayam in 2021. The Kottayam railway station which is being remodelled in a grand manner would be ready with new looks and facilities by then. After the overhaul it will have altogether six platforms and a second entrance, which has been a long-pending demand of regular train users.
The works are being carried out in a manner to ensure that the double line is commissioned by December after completing all works including the signaling system, the officials said. The doubling work of the Ernakulam–Kottayam–Kayamkulam line is in the last lap now.
The civil works connected with the double line would be completed by July.
At a meeting convened by Kottayam MP Thomas Chazhikadan to review the progress of development works including the double line, the railway officials informed that Ettumanoor–Chingavanam section of the double line and the second entrance to Kottayam railway station from the Nagampadam side would be completed by December.
Two more platforms
Along with the second entrance corridor, two more platforms would come up on the Nagampadom side. Another platform, named Platform No 1 A, would be readied beside the existing Platform No 1 for the halt of passenger trains from Ernakulam. Other trains will be barred from this new platform which is in fact an enlargement of a truncated one that has been in use for long. With this the number of platforms in Kottayam station would go up to 6.
At present Kottayam station has three platforms. A foot-over bridge will be constructed to connect the new platforms with the second platform. The officials said that the work would be completed by December.
With more platforms coming up, the railways would consider introducing new trains from Kottayam.
The possibility of starting express trains to Velankani, Bengaluru and Mumbai are being considered in the railway circles.
Dream come true
The second entrance to Kottayam railway station is coming up towards the side of the Nagampadam bridge on the MC Road. A new building that will be constructed here will also house a ticket counter. With the new entrance, passengers coming from the Ettumanoor side or north will be able to reach the station sooner than as is now.
Work on 10 over-bridges on
Meanwhile, the progress of construction work of 10 overbridges along the Kottayam line were reviewed in detail at the meeting. The team visited the construction sites at Pakil, Karitas and Manjooran, close to Kottayam town.
The officials assured that the work associated with the railways would be completed by December. The responsibility of constructing approach roads is of the Roads and Bridges Development Corporation.
"The modernization of the entrance corridor to platform No 1 and the building for the multilevel parking have been completed. The second entrance corridor is coming up with a ticket counter. At the moment the construction work of 10 over bridges is progressing in the Kottayam parliamentary constituency. The railways have assured that the works would be completed by December. A meeting will be convened soon to discuss issues related to land acquisition in which officials of the Kerala Roads and Bridges Development Corporation will also take part" stated Thomas Chazikadan, MP.
Railways construction division chief engineer Shaji Zacharia, deputy chief engineer Chacko George, assistant executive engineers Babu Zacharia, Jose Augustine, municipal councillors Jose Pallikunnel, P N Sarasammal and A B Munneparamban attended the meeting.
