(A report appeared on THE HINDU dated 17/04/2010)
MEMUs from early-2011
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On Thiruvananthapuram-Ernakulam and Ernakulam-Palakkad stretches
MEMU to eventually replace passenger trains
Existing railway infrastructure to be used
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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The suburban Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) train services will commence operations in the State in the last quarter of this financial year along the Thiruvananthapuram-Ernakulam and Ernakulam-Palakkad stretches.
Addressing a press conference here on Friday, Divisional Railway Manager Rajiv Dutt Sharma said inspection and stabling-line facilities and maintenance shed for the MEMU services were nearing completion in Kollam and Palakkad.
“We will start MEMU services on a trial basis replacing the passenger trains that has maximum patronage. In two to three years, all passenger trains in the Thiruvananthapuram railway division will be replaced by MEMU services,'' Mr. Sharma said.
The Divisional Manager said the maintenance shed in Palakkad could handle at least eight rakes at a time and the one coming up in Kollam could handle 12 rakes.
The Railways are yet to decide whether to introduce the rakes with nine cars or with 12 cars for MEMU operations. MEMU trains of nine cars can carry 3,000 passengers at a time and seating will be as in suburban trains. Each train can run 200 km at a stretch. MEMU services are now plying in the State on the Palakkad Town-Coimbatore-Shoranur section. “The 12 rakes can replace as many as 30 passenger trains,'' he said.
The Railways were insisting on two dedicated lines and high-level platforms for operating MEMU services. Replying to a query in this regard, he said the MEMU services would be operated using the existing railway infrastructure.
On the doubling of the congested line between Ernakulam and Kayamkulam via Kottayam and Alappuzha, Mr. Sharma said the delay in acquiring land and handing it over to the Railways was the major hurdle. Unless the land was acquired and handed over to us, the Railways could not fix a time limit.
Funds no constraint
“We need 86 hectares of land in the Chengannur-Mulanthurthi stretch alone for completing the doubling work. Fund is not a constraint for the Railways. We are now hoping on the fast track mechanism and a meeting has been convened by the Chief Minister in Ernakulam on April 24 to expedite the work,'' he said.
The Divisional Railway Manager said the construction wing had already deposited money for acquiring land to the State exchequer. Of 26 railway over bridges in Thiruvananthapuram division, the Railways were able to take up the work of only three over bridges due to delay in handing over land.
On the world class status to Thiruvananthapuram Central and Ernakulam stations, Mr. Sharma said it would be executed through public-private partnership and on the experience after completing the project in New Delhi station.
The division became the second highest earner for the zone with Rs.836.88 crore in the financial year 2009-10 compared to Rs.755.66 crore during the corresponding period last year. In the passenger front, 98.1 million passengers were carried in 2009-10 compared to 95.9 million in 2008-09 and the earnings were Rs.546.06 crore.
The division earned Rs.321.43 crore in freight traffic.
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