Thiruvananthapuram Central, Varkala and Kochuveli will be included in a project aimed at developing and improving the standards of railway stations. Photo: ManoramaNew Delhi: Palakkad won't get the long-awaited rail coach factory, the Railway Board has informed the government. Instead, during a meeting, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Railway Board chairman Ashwani Lohani agreed to set up a coach factory for metro trains.
The coaches currently being built at the existing three factories are more than enough for the railways. Hence there was no requirement for a new factory for rail coaches and considering the development of metro systems in several cities the requirements for the segment can be explored, said the Railway Board chairman.
From now, a meeting will be held every month to review railway projects in the state. The meeting also decided to conduct a feasibility study for projects worth Rs 46,000 for the third and fourth broad-gauge tracks on the Thiruvananthapuram-Kasaragod route.
Talks will be held for constructing a broad-gauge line on the Thalassery-Mysuru route via Mananthavady after Karnataka assembly elections.
The board rejected a proposal submitted by the state for the Chengannur-Thiruvananthapuram rapid rail transit system citing financial constraints.
There were disagreements over the Angamaly-Sabari route also. The chief minister said that the railway's stand that Kerala has to bear half the project cost was not acceptable. The project was announced in 1996 and even had the assurance of the prime minister. The railway ministry will further discuss the issue.
Necessary infrastructure will be set up at Balaramapuram to link the Balaramapuram-Vizhinjam stretch to the main rail route. The railways said that it doesn't have enough funds to sanction the Erumeli-Punalur-Ettumanoor-Pala route.
It was decided that a new route to the Kochi airport won't be of much use and the proposal in this regard was rejected. The southern railway will take necessary measures to develop the abandoned Ernakulam railway terminal station.
Thiruvananthapuram Central, Varkala and Kochuveli will be included in a project aimed at developing and improving the standards of railway stations.
The survey for the Guruvayoor-Thirunavaya route will be completed. The state again refused to bear half the expenses for the doubling of Ernakulam-Kumbalam-Thuravoor-Ambalapuzha route. The railway too refused to take up the project on its own citing funds crunch.
The delay in carrying out development works at Nemam station will be looked into. Though it is on priority list, no funds were allocated in the budget.
The board also agreed in principle to the proposals to increase the Rajdhani train service from the current three days to five days a week and to start a new Thiruvananthapuram-Kannur Shatabdi.
At present, only three trains that pass through Kerala have LHB coaches. The meeting agreed to increase the number of trains that will have the modern coaches. The number of biotoilets too will be increased.
The railways has agreed to cooperate with the state government's 'monsoon harvest' by providing its land for the programme.
The meeting was attended by the CM's principal secretary V S Senthil, Kerala House resident commissioner Vishwas Mehta, public works principal secretary Kamala Vardhana Rao and media advisor John Brittas.
