Tenders invited for Thuravoor–Ambalappuzha railway doubling; hopes and concerns in Alappuzha

Alappuzha: Tenders have been invited for the construction of the Thuravoor–Ambalappuzha railway doubling project, with Southern Railway proceeding with the tender process even before the completion of land acquisition. The Railways plans to carry out construction alongside the land acquisition process.

The project includes soil replacement, modifications to level crossings, construction of new platforms and extension of minor bridges.

The move has raised hopes among passengers that the long-pending double-line project will finally move forward. At the same time, concerns have been raised over the decision to invite construction tenders when the land acquisition required for the project is yet to be completed. The tender has been invited by the Ernakulam Railway Construction Department.

The double line is planned for the Ernakulam–Ambalappuzha section. Land acquisition and construction are progressing between Ernakulam and Thuravoor. However, land is yet to be acquired in the Thuravoor–Mararikulam, Mararikulam–Alappuzha and Alappuzha–Ambalappuzha stretches.

In several places, even boundary stones marking the land required for the double line have not been installed. Despite this, the Railways has proceeded with the construction tender.

Passenger associations have sought an explanation for the decision to invite tenders at this stage, pointing out that the land acquisition process could take at least another year and a half to complete.

There are also concerns that contractors awarded the work may not be able to begin construction if the required land is not handed over on time. This could lead to disputes over contractual conditions and potentially result in legal proceedings. Passenger associations have therefore demanded better coordination between land acquisition and construction before taking the project forward.

Single line continues to hamper rail connectivity

Rail travel along the coastal route remains difficult as the long-awaited doubling of the line has not yet become a reality. The single-line section limits the number of MEMU and superfast trains that can be operated through Alappuzha.

When new Amrit Bharat Express trains were recently allotted to Kerala, all of them were routed through Kottayam. The Kottayam route already has several services, while Alappuzha has been unable to attract more trains because of the capacity constraints of the single line.

Existing MEMU services are heavily overcrowded. Even increasing the number of coaches has done little to ease the rush. Passenger trains are frequently held at crossing stations for extended periods, particularly during peak hours, leaving many passengers unable to reach their destinations on time.

The Railways also earns substantial revenue from long-distance trains operating through Alappuzha. The Vande Bharat service running through Alappuzha is among the highest-revenue-generating services in the country.

Despite this, there are no regular trains through Alappuzha towards either Thiruvananthapuram or Ernakulam at short intervals. Services often operate with gaps of several hours, further highlighting the need for the long-pending doubling project.