KOCHI: The Ernakulam Junction and Town railway stations, which stood like an eye sore, in terms of design and passenger amenities, are getting ready for a major makeover as the old station buildings will be demolished for a major redevelopment project.
The project speaks of an ambitious plan of developing both the station areas into modern public service utility hubs. The highlights include a roof plaza on the lines of the waiting facility at airports, air concourse with separated aisle for arriving and departing passengers, upgraded platforms, skywalks, facilities for differently abled, lighting, landscaping and electronic signages on the platforms.
The facade of the new structures will have a Kerala style architecture in synchrony with the green landscape of the state. A skywalk connecting South Metro station with Ernakulam Junction railway station, will be constructed.
All the existing structures in both the stations will be demolished. A three-storied building will come up at Ernakulam Town station and a four-storied building will be set up at Ernakulam Junction. Earlier, it was planned to redevelop the stations through a public-private participation model and as a project by the Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA). However, as no agency turned up, the construction wing of the Indian railways took up the task of redevelopment of the stations.
"The tenders for both the works have already been floated. Once the work is awarded, we will have to shift the offices from the areas where passenger movement is less, to start the construction work there. The construction will be in a phased manner as we will have to shift the office space to a new area without causing any inconvenience to the passengers. The work is expected to be completed in three years," a railway official in the construction wing said.
At Ernakulam Junction station, two terminals will come up on the western and eastern side of the station. The car parking facility is coming up at the left side of the entry gate on the western side. The west terminal here will have a four-storied building, while the east terminal will have a three-storied structure. Parking facilities will also be there.
Both stations will also have its own sewage treatment plants, solar power generation units and rainwater harvesting tanks. "As far as possible we will be bringing in many green initiatives in order to reduce carbon emission," the official said. The inauguration of the project is likely to be held by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a virtual platform on June 21.
