The 110-acre prime land that the Railways personal on the Ponnurunni-Kathrikadavu marshalling yard premises remains underutilised.
| Photo Credit: H. VIBHU
Even because the Railways affirms that efforts will likely 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 in the marshalling yard unfold over Kathrikadavu-Ponnurunni space, positioned east of Ernakulam Junction railway station, mendacity grossly underutilised.
The worry can be rife that the land will likely be encroached upon, if there’s any additional delay in creating it as an Integrated Coaching Terminal (ICT), a challenge envisaged a decade in the past.
The Railways had not too long ago determined to make optimum use of prime land that abut railway stations, by changing previous 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 in 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 could outcome in three railway stations positioned shut to one another, affecting the general operation of trains.
The differing views surfaced 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 features 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 basic secretary of Thrissur Railway Passengers’ Association (TRPA) P. Krishnakumar spoke of how the ICT challenge would decongest the 2 essential railway stations in the town 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 be discovered wanting in taking proactive steps to revive the sprawling Harbour Terminus railway station on Willingdon Island close to right here, positioned simply six km from Ernakulam Junction station.