Southern Railway-Thiruvananthapuram division is in the process of developing infrastructure to increase the mobility so as to operate more trains and faster trains, Manish Thaplyal, Divisional Railway Manager, Southern Railway-Thiruvananthapuram has said.

The objective is to have more trains as the division carries 3 lakh passengers daily. To achieve this, he said the lines need to be doubled, and work in various sectors is progressing quickly. It is hoped to complete these projects by 2027.

Thaplyal was speaking at the CEO Forum networking breakfast meeting, which was organised by the Cochin Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The topic was “Efforts of Indian Railways to reduce logistics costs, especially with respect to bulk commodities.”

He pointed out that station redevelopment works in the divisions, costing around ₹3,000 crore, are fast progressing in Ernakulam Junction, Ernakulam Town, Kollam Junction, Kozhikode, Thiruvananthapuram Central, and other areas, and all these projects are in the advanced stage of completion.

“We are in discussion to set up a terminal in Ernakulam at the Marshalling yard in Vytilla”, he said, adding that another station near the Cochin International Airport which will be ready in two and a half years.

The division is also looking at a new cargo profile, as it earlier transported tillers, rubber saplings, and pineapple to various North Indian destinations. The Railways are second to waterways in per-tonne cost movement of cargo, he added.

Later, Chamber president S.P. Kamath submitted a representation to the Divisional Railway Manager on key railway infrastructure and service requirements in and around Kochi. This included setting up a railway station at CIAL, Nedumbassery, to provide direct connectivity to the airport, which would greatly benefit travellers, reduce congestion on roads, and enhance last-mile connectivity.

The Chamber also mooted the idea of developing a heritage railway yard at the old railway line near the High Court as part of preserving historical railway assets and tourism promotion. The trade body also requested increasing the MEMU services, considering the growing demand to enhance the frequency of services.

e.o.m.

Published on June 20, 2025