The 110-acre prime land that the Railways personal on the Ponnurunni-Kathrikadavu marshalling yard premises stays underutilised.
| Photo Credit: H. VIBHU
Even because the Railways affirms that efforts will probably be made to develop main railway stations and underutilised premises, if any, as metropolis centres, stakeholders have expressed concern at over 100 acres of prime railway land within the marshalling yard unfold over Kathrikadavu-Ponnurunni space, situated east of Ernakulam Junction railway station, mendacity grossly underutilised.
The concern can also be rife that the land will probably be encroached upon, if there may be any additional delay in creating it as an Integrated Coaching Terminal (ICT), a challenge envisaged a decade in the past.
The Railways had just lately determined to make optimum use of prime land that abut railway stations, by changing outdated low-height and sparsely-distributed buildings, if any, with multi-storey ones to faucet the industrial potential of land.
The ICT challenge unfold over the Kathrikadavu-Ponnurunni space suffered many delays, though the Southern Railway was eager to execute it on a PPP foundation, contemplating its potential to host roughly 10 platforms vis a vis Ernakulam Junction which has simply six platforms and is struggling to accommodate trains. This would in flip pace up trains by way of the district, most of which have to attend within the periphery of the station and of Ernakulam Town station, each of which collectively have solely eight platforms.
However, the Thiruvananthapuram Division was sceptical of this and identified in 2021 how this is able to end in three railway stations situated shut to one another, affecting the general operation of trains.
The differing views surfaced just a few months after Kerala Rail Development Corporation Ltd. (KRDCL) submitted its feasibility report on the challenge to Southern Railway in early 2021, and provided to arrange a DPR for the ICT challenge, together with key facets like technical parameters and funding choices. The feasibility report additionally hinted at establishing connectivity from the premises to Edappally-Aroor NH 66 Bypass, by way of Thammanam-Pullepady Road that the PWD is anticipated to develop as a four-lane stretch.
Prior to this, a preliminary challenge report was ready by a personal agency on the behest of Hibi Eden, MP, who submitted it to the then Railway Minister in 2019. Mr. Eden expressed concern on the inordinate delay in making optimum use of the sprawling yard premises. “I raised the issue many times in the Parliament and went on to pursue it with the Prime Minister and consecutive railway ministers. The ICT project would help speed up trains in much of the State,” he mentioned.
The common secretary of Thrissur Railway Passengers’ Association (TRPA) P. Krishnakumar spoke of how the ICT challenge would decongest the 2 major railway stations within the metropolis and usher in industrial growth of the yard premises.
“Trains can be operated from here to the three neighbouring districts, much like a hub-and-spoke model. Emphasis must be given to the project, especially since there is a dedicated official in each railway division under the Gatisakthi scheme to oversee infra-development works.”
Official sources mentioned that there are variations of opinion on the feasibility of the challenge. Aspects like optimum land utilisation should be labored out, they added.
The Railway can also be discovered wanting in taking proactive steps to revive the sprawling Harbour Terminus railway station on Willingdon Island close to right here, situated simply six km from Ernakulam Junction station.
Source: www.thehindu.com
