The Hindu Business Line : Freight traffic vital for track doubling: DRM

DOUBLING works under the Thiruvananthapuram Railway Division will not be a viable proposition unless the alienated freight traffic is wooed back, according to Dr G. Narayanan, Divisional Railway Manager.

Releasing the Vision 2005-2030 document, the first attempted by any Railway Division, at the silver jubilee celebrations of the Division, Dr Narayanan said viability of doubling projects was dependent on assured freight traffic.

However, the prospects are not reassuring given the steep decline in freight traffic handled by the division over a period of the last few years, he said. Aggressive marketing efforts will be required to win back the traffic lost to competing modes of surface transport.

Dwelling on major development works envisaged, Dr Narayanan hoped that the Guruvayur-Tanur and Angamali-Sabarimala lines would be laid as well as "patch doubling" in the Kayamkulam-Ernakulam section completed by year 2010 subject to expeditious land acquisition.

The Kottayam line would continue to be the weak link in so far as meeting the ever-increasing demand is concerned and hence further doubling would need to be taken up.

Poor rate of return: Unfortunately, the expected rate of return on investments based on a survey done in 2000 did not make this for a viable project, Dr Narayanan said. In any case, this year's Railway Budget had approved a resurvey.

But, mere doubling of the line would mean only a job half done; electrification of the second line would be inevitable for train traffic to begin. It was still yet to be ascertained if the "doubling of investments" in this manner would be worth the while.

The Ernakulam-Shoranur double line would need the back up of a third line in view of the surge in traffic likely to be generated from the commissioning of the Vallarpadam International Container Terminal, uptake in domestic container traffic, bulk movement of foodgrains from the north and overall improvement in business/trade.

Subsequent to the completion of the Guruvayur-Tanur line in the next five years, Dr Narayanan suggested the laying of an Idappally-Guruvayur coastal line in order that the anticipated volumes in freight traffic is handled efficiently. He also forecast appreciable increase in traffic in the Punalur-Kottayam section. A new line between Kayamkulam and Kottarakara via Adoor over a distance of 45 km will provide a pincer-like from Kayamkulam to Kottayam on the main route as well as Alappuzha on the other.

This will vastly improve connectivity in the region. For instance, Kottarakara can link further on to Punalur, Madurai and Tirunelveli. To the South, a link can be established with Thiruvananthapuram along the alignment dictated by the Main Central Road. This will provide a third line between Thiruvananthapuram and Kayamkulam.