The much-awaited detailed project report (DPR) on laying the third and fourth tracks in the congested 107-km Ernakulam-Shoranur rail corridor would be finalised by November-end, for which survey and allied works had been completed, informed sources said.
This is the most congested rail corridor in the State, catering to trains that converge in Ernakulam from Kottayam and Alappuzha districts. The net result has been that track occupancy in the corridor is over 120%.
The Railway Board would take around a year to vet the DPR and approve it. Once approved, a year’s time will be given for land acquisition and another two years for executing the project. At least the third track must ideally be readied by 2027-end, if everything goes as per plan, the sources said.
Redirecting express trains
A LIDAR survey was also done as part of efforts to straighten curves in rail corridors to increase the speed of trains in the State. A DPR in this regard is expected by December-end.
The Railway Board would take a call on whether to straighten curves on existing tracks to operate trains at up to 160 kmph or ready the third and fourth tracks to increase the speed of trains. The added advantage of laying additional tracks in critical corridors such as between Ernakulam and Shoranur on the Nagercoil-Mangaluru stretch would be that express trains could be redirected through the newly laid tracks, leaving the existing tracks for inter-district passenger and MEMU trains which now operated at rock-bottom speed, they added.
A survey for laying the third and fourth tracks on the Shoranur-Coimbatore stretch has begun, while yet another DPR on doubling the track in the one-km triangle that connects Vallathol Nagar with Shoranur and the railway cabin on the Palakkad side has been submitted to the Railway Board.
