The proposal to develop the Ernakulam old railway station into a terminal station has received a boost with the Railways initiating a study on the project.Southern Railway General Manager Rakesh Mishra, on a visit to the Ernakulam Junction railway station on Tuesday, said the Railway Land Development Authority had begun studying the proposal in detail.“The Union Railway Minister Sadananda Gowda is in favour of initiating some development there. So it’s being studied by the Railways,” Mr. Mishra told reporters.
The demand for developing the century-old facility comes at a time when the Ernakulam Junction and Town railway stations have become extremely congested with hardly any space to lay new tracks. While several plans had been proposed to revive and protect the old station and its premises, none of them actually took off owing to paucity of funds.
However, the recent visit by the Union Railway Minister to the station has revived the hope that it will be restored and protected as a heritage monument. During his visit, the Mr. Gowda had met the office bearers of the Old Railway Station Vikasana Samithy and assured them of steps to revive the facility.
On the new premium tatkal scheme, Mr. Mishra exuded confidence that it would be well received in the Thiruvananthapuram division just as in Chennai.
On the delay in doubling works, Mr. Mishra reiterated that the Railway was not getting sufficient funds from the State government when compared to other States.
The official also rued the hurdles in land acquisition and land filling experienced by the agency.
The demand for developing the century-old facility comes at a time when the Ernakulam Junction and Town railway stations have become extremely congested with hardly any space to lay new tracks. While several plans had been proposed to revive and protect the old station and its premises, none of them actually took off owing to paucity of funds.
However, the recent visit by the Union Railway Minister to the station has revived the hope that it will be restored and protected as a heritage monument. During his visit, the Mr. Gowda had met the office bearers of the Old Railway Station Vikasana Samithy and assured them of steps to revive the facility.
On the new premium tatkal scheme, Mr. Mishra exuded confidence that it would be well received in the Thiruvananthapuram division just as in Chennai.
On the delay in doubling works, Mr. Mishra reiterated that the Railway was not getting sufficient funds from the State government when compared to other States.
The official also rued the hurdles in land acquisition and land filling experienced by the agency.
