KOCHI: As the Union government is all set to announce the Railway Budget, Ernakulam-based railway committees are coming out strongly against the failure of authorities concerned in implementing most of the proposed railway projects in Ernakulam.Highlighting the authorities’ failure in upgrading Ernakulam Junction Station into a world class facility, Karithala Poura Samiti member Viju Choolakal said, “The proposal was made in 2008-2009 Railway Budget. However, the response to a RTI application revealed that no money has been allotted for the upgradation of the station.”“The station does not even have a proper waiting shed for the passengers to relax at the station. The Thiruvananthapuram railway station has an additional pay and use airconditioned waiting areas for the passengers bound for long distance journeys,” Viju added. Besides waiting sheds, lack of proper bathroom facilities, overhead roofs, trolleys, chairs for disabled etc, are of low quality at both the Ernakulam railway stations.While, the public blames the railway authorities, they say that there is a always tug of war situation between the State government offices. This mostly happens during the projects involving land acquisition measures. The delay in doubling of the railway track along Ernakulam-Thuravoor route is the best example of the situation. “Even though, the land has been sanctioned for the doubling work, the railways continue to blame the State government for the delay,” sources here said.Another proposal which is still in the pipeline is the doubling of the one kilometre stretch between the Ernakulam marshalling yard and Ernakulam North Railway Station. This is part of the Ernakulam-Mulanthuruthy railway track doubling project. No work has been done in the past eight years. According to Railway Engineer (Construction) Jayakumar, they are still awaiting the railway board’s sanction for the same. Also, the proposal to replace the manual swinging gate at Mattanchery Halt with a mechanised one, is still gathering dust. If the Divisional Railway Manager Rajesh Agarwal’s idea to increase the cargo train traffic at Mattanchery goes as per the plan, there will be an urgent need to replace the gate, said the Southern Railway Mazdoor Union members.
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