Kerala hopes for `ache din' on rails

Kochi: In Kerala, happiness over railway budget announcements is a rare phenomenon with the state coming to terms with its disappointments time and again.
If sources within the railways, who swear by the `ache din aane wale hain' tag, are to be believed it will be a different scenario this year and the state will get a better deal when minister Sadananda Gowda presents his budget. But sceptical senior railway officers said that the budget will be a blessing only if funds are allotted for bettering infrastructure.

“It is likely that the Rapid Rail Transit System (RRTS) between Thiruvananthapuram and Chengannur will be given the green light. The doubling of Mangalore-Shoranur stretch is over and there are chances that a new daily train would be announced on the stretch. The Modi government is expected to give emphasis on strengthening infrastructure with technology adoption and modernization,“ said a top officer from the Thiruvananthapuram railway division.

Minister Aryadan Mohammed said the government is hoping for central aid for doubling works. “We haven't got any assurance from the Centre. We hope we will get some funds for doubling works, automatic signalling system, MysoreThalassery and Nilambur-Nanjangud lines, Palakkad coach factory and Cherthala wagon factory ,“ he said.

However, barring financial assistance for doubling, no major projects announced in the earlier budgets would be granted considerable financial assist ance. “ As the track occupancy is 120%, the introduction of daily express trains is impractical. However, the Centre may sanction one or two weekly trains for northern Kerala,“ the officer said.

Almost all projects announced decades ago have come to a halt due to fund crunch and the lack coordination between state and railway authorities.
“Land acquisition is the major problem here. It took more than 11 years to construct a 20-km-long stretch of the second track on the Ernakulam-Mulanthuruthy stretch, while other states do it within 4 years,“ he said.

Another officer pointed out that the state could increase its track connectivity by less than 20% over the past 60 years. “This shows the importance of improving basic infrastructure. While politicians and changing governments queued up for mega projects that are difficult to introduce in a densely-populated state, the infrastructure was left unnoticed,“ he said.

The doubling of Ernakulam-Kayamkulam and Ernakulam-Kottayam lines is yet to get a much-needed boost from the state government. It is to be noted that after 11 years, only 20 km and 18 km have been doubled on the Kottayam and Alappuzha route respectively . Authorities said traffic on a line could be increased eight-fold if doubling is over.
This will multiply if automatic signalling system is also introduced. Another long-pending infrastructure issue is the track electrification from Shoranur to Mangalore. The work taken up in two phases has been moving at a snail's pace.

(Times of India dt 8-7-2014)

Railway Budget: State hopes for a fair deal

Will the change of guard at the Centre and the “next door” Union Railway Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda help Kerala accomplish the aspirations for the development of the railway network of the State and put an end to the neglect meted out over the years?

Rail users and officials in Thiruvananthapuram and Palakkad divisions are hoping that Kerala will get a better deal in the maiden Railway Budget being presented by Mr. Gowda in the Lok Sabha on July 8.

Peninsular zone

The big question doing the rounds is whether Mr. Gowda will announce the long-pending formation of the Peninsular Railway Zone for Kerala.

Railway sources said the zone is likely to be a compensation for the bifurcation of the truncated Palakkad railway division for creating a new division in Mangalore.

The State had followed the homework done in November last by prioritising the needs of the rail network and seeking more funds after the BJP came to power.

CM writes to Modi

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy had personally written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr. Gowda in May on the immediate needs.

It is learnt that the State did not give an exhaustive list or memorandum on the railway development as in November last for consideration in the Railway Budget.

Priority list

Official sources said the Chief Minister had personally taken up the critical projects identified with the Union Railway Minister during his visit to New Delhi. The priority list of pending projects and railway works was circulated among the MPs from the State at a pre-budget meeting convened here on June 27.

The State is hopeful of an enhanced allocation for the sanctioned projects in addition to new projects and trains this time like when BJP leader O. Rajagopal was Minister of State for Railways in the Vajpayee government.

Last budget

The State was given a meagre allocation and a poor deal in terms of new projects and trains in the 2013-14 Railway Budget and in the interim budget presented in February before the Lok Sabha elections.

The resource crunch faced by the Railways will be reflected in the budget to be presented by Mr. Gowda. The Railways had been demanding 50 per cent cost sharing for new projects and the Public-Private- Partnership mode even for doubling and laying new railway lines, the sources said.

(The Hindu dt 7-7-2014)