Rail track doubling works to be expedited

Kochi: The long-pending works of rail track doubling along the Ernakulam-Kumbalam stretch are likely to begin soon. A draft report on the social impact study (SIA) for the land acquisition for the project submitted to the railway authorities has shown green signal for the land acquisition for the project. The report prepared by the Rajagiri Outreach of Rajagiri College of Social Sciences has recommended that the authorities can go ahead with the land acquisition ensuring proper rehabilitation of the families to be evacuated in the region. A total of 5.78 hectares in

Ernakulam

, Elamkulam, Maradu and

Kumbalam

villages of Kanayannur taluk would be acquired for the track doubling works. Sixty-three houses would be acquired for the project and 42 families would be evacuated for the project. Railways has taken up the doubling works between

Ambalapuzha

and Ernakulam in three parts —Ernakulam-Kumbalam (7.71km);

Kumbalam-Thuravur

(15.59km) and

Thuravur-Ambalapuzha

(45.90Km). In 2021, a budget outlay of Rs 10 crore each was provided for the doubling of three stretches in the financial year 2021-22. Of the Rs 510.20 crore sanctioned, Rs 262 crore was allotted for the Ernakulam-Kumbalam stretch and Rs 248.20 crore for the Kumbalam-Thuravur stretch. The deadline fixed for the doubling of Ernakulam-Ambalapuzha stretch is March 2024. The draft report of SIA study says that the doubling of track would help run more trains along the route and the project would help avoid late running of trains through the track. The doubling of the track in the region would also help run more new trains on the track, it says.