Kerala's railway development: More MEMU trains and track doubling on agenda, says Union Minister

Thiruvananthapuram: Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw conducted a comprehensive review of railway infrastructure and redevelopment projects in Aluva and Kozhikode on Sunday. During his one-day trip, he travelled by train along the stretch for assessment.

The Thiruvananthapuram Divisional Railway Office reported, "Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw conducts a window trailing inspection from Aluva, reviewing railway infrastructure and redevelopment projects." Following this, Vaishnaw arrived at Kozhikode Railway Station to further inspect the facilities.

Doubling railway tracks and station renovations

Vaishnaw highlighted the doubling of railway tracks in the state as a top priority and expressed support for the SilverLine project. He noted that 32 stations across Kerala are undergoing complete renovation, with Rs 393 crore allocated specifically for the Thrissur railway station.

The minister also emphasised the need for a third and fourth railway line from Mangaluru to Shornur, alongside a third line extending from Shornur through Ernakulam, Kottayam, and Thiruvananthapuram to Kanyakumari.

Land acquisition and future plans

There is ongoing communication with the state government regarding land acquisition for these projects. For the current track doubling initiative, 460 acres of land are required, with 63 acres already secured.

Vaishnaw mentioned that efforts are underway to allocate additional MEMU trains for Kerala. Regarding the K-Rail project, he assured that if the state resolves environmental and technical issues and submits a new project report, it will be given due consideration.

Furthermore, the minister highlighted a significant increase in budget allocation for railway development in Kerala, stating that years ago, only Rs 370 crore was earmarked annually, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi has raised this to Rs 3,000 crore per year.