THIRUVANANTHAPURAM (Metro Rail news): The semi-high-speed railway line would have an additional station in Kochi. The Detailed Project Report was sanctioned the other day allotted a new station near the Nedumbassery airport besides Kakkanad in Ernakulam district. Nedumbassery airport has the largest no of flight services in the state.
The govt had declared that the semi-high-speed track would connect all airports & IT parks in the state. But Thiruvananthapuram airport is five km away from Kochuveli. However, the line is not directly linked with Karipur-Kannur airports. Allegations arose that the semi-high-speed line would not profit these airports as assumed.
People from anywhere in Kerala also from Malabar areas can join Nedumbassery airport within 2 hours in the semi-high-speed train. It takes more than 1 hr to arrive at Karipur airport from Kozhikode town through the bus. Also, around 1 hr is expected to reach Kannur airport from Kannur town via bus. Some allegations arose that the judgment to allow a new stop at Nedumbassery is with some business interests.
When Kerala Rail Development Co. introduced the project, there was no station at Nedumbassery. Though people’s deputies showed out that the airports in Malabar area should be linked with the new line, as it was not viewed in the DPR. Only Chengannur station was allowed for Pathanamthitta-Alappuzha districts.
The new line would be built far from the existing railway line from Thiruvananthapuram-Tirur & then parallel to the existing one till Kasaragod.
Works would start this yr and finished within 5 yrs as according to the plans. As per the claims of K-Rail, the semi-high-speed train can travel 530.6 km from Thiruvananthapuram-Kasaragod in 4 hrs. The project is still to be confirmed by the central govt & the Niti Aayog.
