Modernization bypasses Kerala in Rail Budget

KOCHI: The 2012-13 Railway Budget has come as a huge disappointment for the people of Kerala. The state’s priority, uniquely, was not more trains but infrastructural and network problems and railway minister Dinesh Trivedi signally failed in addressing these.
The action plan for 2012-13 doesn’t make any commitments to the ongoing track doubling work in Ernakulam-Kottayam and Ernakulam-Allappuzha-Kayamkulam stretch, two of the state’s most congested rail arteries.Track doubling on these stretches are critical if at some point the state needs to get more number of trains.
Modernization of rail-signalling system is another area of neglect. The existing system is not good enough to increase the speed of trains passing through Kerala. Even in the double-tracked Shornur-Ernakulam stretch trains travel at just two-thirds the ideal speed they should be travelling.
The budget has announced that the gauge conversion of Punaloor-Edamon stretch would be completed by next year. But this is only a small portion of Kollam-Shenkottai gauge conversion project, which might take years for completion.
The doubling of rail line between Mangalore and Shornur is also hanging fire due to uncertainties on the work between Shornur and Karakkad. Railway officials cite land acquisition as the major impediment to the delays.
The budget also doesn’t mention about the completion of the electrification of Shornur-Mangalore line. The railways had earlier said that the project would be completed by 2015 while the Shornur-Kozhikode stretch was to be completed by March 2013.
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