Railway track via Alappuzha to be doubled, train speeds will increase

Sunday 15 May, 2022 | 4:39 AM READ MALAYALAM VERSION

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Steps have been initiated to double the 68 km Ernakulam-Ambalapuzha line to speed up trains and reduce travel time. The Railways has set aside Rs 510 crore for the acquisition of 5.87 hectares of land in Ernakulam, Maradu and Kumbalam villages. The Revenue Department has issued a notification to acquire the land.

Railway Board Chairman VK Tripathi has said that the cost will be borne by the railways and the state will not be asked to contribute. Despite initially insisting that Kerala bear half the cost, the Railways had sanctioned Rs 510 crore for land acquisition in 2021 under the 'Vision 2024' plan.

After the double track via Kottayam, the train journey will be easier with the double-track via Alappuzha. Although the Kayamkulam - Ambalapuzha 31 km route has been doubled, the Ambalapuzha - Ernakulam 69 km is a single line. In Ernakulam South, as 376 trains need control, passengers lose their time. With the doubling of the route, the travel time to Kochi will be reduced. Trains will not be delayed for up to 45 minutes at the crossing.

The social impact study report states that the majority of landowners support the plan. The estimate from ten years ago was recently revised. The Thuravoor-Ambalapuzha reach alone saw an increase of Rs 453 crore. The estimated amount went up due to a rise in land prices. The Railways tried to withdraw due to high cost but did not do so due to state opposition. There was also opposition to the idea that it would not be profitable due to a low number of goods trains.

Three Reaches, 69 km

Ernakulam-Kumbalam 600.82 crore

Kumbalam-Thuravoor 825.37 crore

Thuravoor-Ambalappuzha 1,281.63 crore

Evacuation

60 families in three villages

21 families in illegal land

92 houses, two temples, one cemetery

2019

The railways froze the doubling

2021

The freeze was lifted as it was part of the Mumbai-Kanyakumari route