Eight major railway stations in Kerala that will be redeveloped as world-class stations in the coming years will have sprawling air concourse located nine metres above the platforms and tracks, linking the first platform with others.
The 36-metre-wide concourse will be like a bridge that will provide seamless link between different platforms and will have ample space for passengers to wait until their train arrived. Conceived for optimal space utility on railway station premises, they would also have ample number of seats, eateries and other amenities, Rajendra Prasad Jingar, Chief Administrative Officer of Southern Railway, told The Hindu here on Monday.
Commuters wanting to board trains will still have direct access to platform one, while they can use escalator, lift or skywalk (which will be readied in prominent stations such as Ernakulam Junction) in order to enter the concourse, and can then use similar systems to reach their platform concerned when their train arrived.
Mr. Jingar said much thought had been given in the design of the stations to ensure that commuters who arrived in trains did not have to jostle for space with those who were waiting to board trains. Separate pathways would be provided for the two groups of commuters. “The designers took into account 22 types of commuter-movement patterns within the premises of each station, and adopted designs that would ensure their smooth and hassle-free movement. The adoption of standards laid down under Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA) for ‘green buildings’ would ensure optimal use of natural air and light.”
Likewise, there will be separate entry and exit points for vehicles at each station, to prevent congestion that many of the stations are witnessing at present. Aimed at ensuring seamless inter-modal integration, parking areas will be readied in station premises for public transport buses, while multi-level parking will be readied for others. Commuters from the Ernakulam South metro station will be able to directly access the adjacent Ernakulam Junction railway station through a skywalk.
Mr. Jingar, who is retiring from service on June 30, said Southern Railway was the first in India to finalise tenders for the redevelopment of railway stations. The Ernakulam Junction and Kollam stations will have a facade in keeping with regional architecture, while Ernakulam Town will have a modern design.
Other stations
On whether the bottlenecked eastern entry of Ernakulam North would be developed, he said it would not come under the ambit of the station’s redevelopment since it entailed land acquisition. The two stations in Ernakulam and the one at Kollam are being demolished in phases and offices shifted to alternative sites, to make way for the proposed world-class stations.
Ernakulam Junction, Ernakulam Town and Kollam stations are awaiting redevelopment by December 2025, while the Railway Construction Wing is at the fag end of readying the detailed project report to redevelop Thrissur and Chengannur stations. A power-point presentation of the proposals will be made before the Railway Board in July.
The Railway Construction Wing has floated tenders for the Kozhikode station’s redevelopment, while redevelopment work of Thiruvananthapuram and Varkala are expected to be tendered in July. The heritage station building in Thiruvananthapuram will be retained, while two structures having similar design will come up on both sides.
