Kochi: The Railways is boasting of increasing speed in Kerala to a maximum of 130 kms in three years, even as it has done little to remove the bottlenecks that hampers its punctuality.
A number of bottlenecks including stations like Ernakulam Town in the commercial capital have remained unattended for decades and the gullible passengers have suffered a lot and continue to suffer.
Even as the Railways is likely to post a revenue crossing the budget estimate of Rs 2.1 lakh crore in 2022-23, it has given a damn to set up more platforms in Ernakulam Town station where only two trains can stop at one time now.
Also, while trains are passing between Ernakulam Town and Ernakulam Junction, those coming from Thiruvananthapuram via Kottayam side are detained at various points for long hours.
The railways is more worried about beautifying stations which is helping only contractors and not the travelers.
If the railways is not keen to increase the platforms at Ernakulam Town, it can atleast take a decision to decongest Ernakulam Town by skipping stops for trains coming from Thiruvananthapuram via Alappuzha, Ernakulam Junction side at Ernakulam Town.
The Railways authorities are also to be blamed for causing delay of trains coming from Kottayam side as trains ending their journeys in Ernakulam Junction are not timely shunted away to yards. The 16310 Kayamkulam-Ernakulam MEMU is one of the victims of this as it is detained for nearly one hour in the outer for want of platforms in Ernakulam Junction.
On the flip side, the railways is aiming to finish the work in Thiruvananthapuram – Shoranur section via Alappuzha in 2026. It is mulling to increase the speed from 100 kms to 110 kms in Thiruvananthapuram- Kayamkulam route, to 110 kmph from 90 kmph in Kayamkulam- Thuravoor route, and up to 90 kmph from 80 kmph in Ernakulam-Shoranur route. The speed will be raised to 130 kmph later. The project will be accomplished by incorporating the Prime Minister Gati Shakti project.
The study to increase the speed of trains to 160 kmph in Mangalore-Thiruvananthapuram route is likely to be completed in December 2023, the reports said.
But, if Ernakulam Town continues to remain ignored, increasing speed of the trains is not going to benefit the people.
