Thiruvananthapuram: Redevelopment work of Thiruvananthapuram and Varkala railway stations will start this month, said divisional railway manager Manish Thaplyal. He said the Amrit Bharat Scheme under which the upgradation and redevelopment of important stations to world-class standards is progressing at a rapid pace. Work of around 13 stations will be completed by Jan 2025, Thaplyal added.
During the redevelopment works, the heritage structure of the Trivandrum railway station will be retained, and an expansive building will be constructed around it in the southern and northern areas. The project, which will cost Rs 439 crore, will include a passenger bridge one level up connected to the platforms by lifts and escalators. There will also be a multi-level parking lot that can accommodate 400 vehicles.
He said that the division has also added around 78 coaches to augment 55 trains to accommodate the growing number of passengers. The recent service extension of the Nagercoil-Chennai Egmore Vande Bharat specials, along with the launch of a new Vande Bharat train between Ernakulam Jn and Bengaluru, are meant to meet the passenger requirements. The division has experienced remarkable growth across all fronts — revenue, loading, safety, punctuality, project commissioning, and passenger amenities, said Thaplyal.
“The division has achieved a gross revenue of Rs 543.52 crore, a 12.23% increase compared to the same period last year.
The passenger sector has recorded 14.7% growth in revenue, while the freight segment has seen an 18.31% increase.
The operating ratio has significantly declined by 12.38%.” The Railway Protection Force has enhanced security for passengers, he said, and added that through strong collaboration with other security agencies, the force has minimised incidents of stone-pelting and other antisocial activities affecting passengers.
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