Steps initiated to resolve long-standing train travel issues from Thrissur towards South

SHORNUR: The work has started to clear and prepare the land for building a new entrance at the south road side of Shoranur Junction Railway Station. The filling of the marshy area on the southern side of the railway station and the construction of an off-drain by renovating the existing drainage system on the site are presently underway.

It is difficult to walk from platform number one to platform number seven of the railway station, which has several platforms. Moreover, the new entrance will be beneficial for passengers coming from the Thrissur side to cross the Cochin Bridge and enter South Road to reach the platform easily, without having to take a two-kilometer detour.

The new entrance will also benefit passengers heading towards the Thrissur side when exiting the platform. However, the lack of bus service along this route is a major issue for commuters. Only those with personal vehicles can stop their vehicle and access the platform.

Although the inauguration of various works has been completed at the railway junction as part of the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, the works addressing the issues plaguing passengers have not yet started. Although the footbridge, which allowed easy access from Platform 1, was demolished citing age and decay, construction on a replacement footbridge has not yet begun.

The absence of an escalator is causing a major crisis for elderly and differently-abled passengers. It is difficult for those with knee pain and other travel fatigue to climb up and use the existing over bridge. The lift facility can only accommodate a very limited number of passengers. Even though it was promised that an over bridge with an escalator system would be constructed near the platform where the old RMS office used to stand, the work has not yet started.