Kochi: The state government, the passengers and the railway officials are optimistic that the interim budget to be presented by Union Railway Minister Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday will contain positive announcements on the long-pending demands of the state.
The optimism is based on the precedence set by one of his predecessors Lalu Prasad Yadav who made several announcements including introduction of 43 new trains in the interim budget of 2009.
The general feeling is that, being an election year the budget will try to be as pleasing as possible.
Both the minister Aryadan Muhammed, who is in charge of the railways in Kerala, and the railway officials said more trains were likely to be announced for Kerala in the interim budget.
“We are hopeful that some trains will be announced to Kerala giving more connectivity to the North-East sector. There is a heavy demand for train seats in the sector because of the massive inflow of migrant labourers from the region to the state. Some trains are likely to be introduced to other regions also,” a senior railway official said here.
The official said the budget was likely to allocate more funds for completing the doubling work, for the launch of the Sabari rail line, survey of the proposed Nilambur-Nanjankode line, and for gauge conversion of the Punalur- Chenkotta railway line.
There are also hopes of introduction of more MEMU trains for short-distance travel. The railway official said there was a possibility of allocation for expansion of the maintenance station at Nemom and for railway line to the proposed container terminal to Vizhijnjam.
Aryadan Muhammed said the state government had also taken up the demand for starting a railway zone in Kerala and for introducing better coaches for the trains running through the state.
The railway official said the budget was unlikely to make any announcement on the proposed rail coach factory at Kanjikkode considering the disputes surrounding it on land acquisition and various other issues.
“Introduction of MEMU trains, doubling of Ernakulam – Kayamkulam sector through Kottayam and Alappuzha and, introduction of the automatic signaling system across the state, are the three developments that the Railways must give topmost priority in Kerala,” said Thrissur Railway Passengers’ Association general secretary, P Krishnakumar. “The doubling can be completed only if the state government expedited land acquisition,” he said.
(T Ramavarman Times of India dt 12-2-2014)
The optimism is based on the precedence set by one of his predecessors Lalu Prasad Yadav who made several announcements including introduction of 43 new trains in the interim budget of 2009.
The general feeling is that, being an election year the budget will try to be as pleasing as possible.
Both the minister Aryadan Muhammed, who is in charge of the railways in Kerala, and the railway officials said more trains were likely to be announced for Kerala in the interim budget.
“We are hopeful that some trains will be announced to Kerala giving more connectivity to the North-East sector. There is a heavy demand for train seats in the sector because of the massive inflow of migrant labourers from the region to the state. Some trains are likely to be introduced to other regions also,” a senior railway official said here.
The official said the budget was likely to allocate more funds for completing the doubling work, for the launch of the Sabari rail line, survey of the proposed Nilambur-Nanjankode line, and for gauge conversion of the Punalur- Chenkotta railway line.
There are also hopes of introduction of more MEMU trains for short-distance travel. The railway official said there was a possibility of allocation for expansion of the maintenance station at Nemom and for railway line to the proposed container terminal to Vizhijnjam.
Aryadan Muhammed said the state government had also taken up the demand for starting a railway zone in Kerala and for introducing better coaches for the trains running through the state.
The railway official said the budget was unlikely to make any announcement on the proposed rail coach factory at Kanjikkode considering the disputes surrounding it on land acquisition and various other issues.
“Introduction of MEMU trains, doubling of Ernakulam – Kayamkulam sector through Kottayam and Alappuzha and, introduction of the automatic signaling system across the state, are the three developments that the Railways must give topmost priority in Kerala,” said Thrissur Railway Passengers’ Association general secretary, P Krishnakumar. “The doubling can be completed only if the state government expedited land acquisition,” he said.
(T Ramavarman Times of India dt 12-2-2014)
