Lok Sabha Question No. 2468 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-26
Subject: Development of Railways in Kerala
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: N.K. PREMACHANDRAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2468 TO BE ANSWERED ON 26.12.2018

## DEVELOPMENT OF RAILWAYS IN KERALA

## 2468. SHRI N.K. PREMACHANDRAN:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS  be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to develop Railways in Kerala;
- (b) if so, the details thereof during the last four years;
- (c) whether the Government proposes to provide LHB coaches to trains running through Kerala on priority basis and if so, the action taken in this regard;
- (d) whether the Government proposes to sanction an exclusive railway zone for Kerala and if so, the details of the action taken in this regard and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (e) whether there is inordinate delay in running of trains in Thiruvananthapuram and Palakkad Division;
- (f) if so, the reasons therefor and the action taken to rectify the same; and
- (g) whether the Government proposes to introduce more MEMU trains so as to provide conveyance to short distance passengers and if so, the details of the action taken thereon?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

(SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

- (a)  to (g): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (g) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2468 BY SHRI N.K. PREMACHANDRAN TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 26.12.2018 REGARDING DEVELOPMENT OF RAILWAYS IN KERALA

- (a)    and  (b):    Projects  are  sanctioned  Zonal  Railway-wise.  Besides  this, sanctioning  of  projects  for  development  of  Railways  is  a  continuous process.

02  New  Line  and  08  Doubling  projects  falling  fully/partly  in  the  State  of Kerala are in various stages of planning/sanction/execution. Out of this, 03 Doubling projects for Turavur-Amablapuzha (50 Km), ThiruvananthapuramKanniyakumari  (86.56  Km)  and  Shoranur-Ernakulam  (107  Km)  lines  have been included in the Budget during the last four years (2014-15 to 2017-18).

(c): Indian Railways do not undertake induction of LHB coaches in trains on State-wise  basis.  Besides,  induction  of  trains  with  LHB  coaches  is  an ongoing  process  on  Indian  Railways.  However,  the  details  of  the  trains operating with LHB coaches and serving the stations located in the State of Kerala are as below:-

|   S.No. | Name of trains                                             |
|---------|------------------------------------------------------------|
|       1 | 22113/14 Mumbai-Kochuveli Express                          |
|       2 | 12223/24 Ernakulam-Mumbai (LTT) AC Duronto Express         |
|       3 | 12283/84 Ernakulam-H. Nizamuddin Duronto Express           |
|       4 | 12431/32 Thiruvananthapuram-H. Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express |
|       5 | 22837/38 Hatia-Ernakaulam AC Express                       |
|       6 | 22877/78 Howrah-Ernakulam Antyodaya Express                |
|       7 | 12623/24 Chennai-Thiruvananthapuram Express                |
|       8 | 16311/12 Kochuveli-Bikaner Express                         |

|   9 | 16315/16 Bangaluru-Kochuveli Express               |
|-----|----------------------------------------------------|
|  10 | 12625/26 Thiruvananthapuram-New Delhi Express      |
|  11 | 16355/56 Kochuveli-Mangaluru Antyodaya Express     |
|  12 | 16319/20 Kochuveli-Banswada Humsafar Express       |
|  13 | 16527/28 Yesvantpur-Kannur Express                 |
|  14 | 22677/78 Yesvantpur-Kochuveli Express              |
|  15 | 12685/86 Chennai Central-Mangaluru Central Express |
|  16 | 22619/20 Bilaspsur-Tirunelveli Express             |
|  17 | 19331/32 Indore-Kochuveli Express                  |

(d): No, Madam.  New Zones on Indian Railways are set up keeping in view factors like size, workload,  accessibilities, traffic  pattern  and  other operating/administrative  requirements  etc.  consistent  with  the  needs  of economy and efficiency.  The Zones on Indian Railways are not based on the State/District boundaries or on regional consideration.

(e) and (f): The punctuality performance of Thiruvananthapuram and Palakkad Divisions  during  the  period  from  June,  2018  to  November,  2018,  as  detailed below indicates that the punctuality of these Railway Divisions has improved.

| Division           | June 2018   | July 2018   | August 2018   | September 2018   | October 2018   | November 2018   |
|--------------------|-------------|-------------|---------------|------------------|----------------|-----------------|
| Thriuvananthapuram | 50.9%       | 53.8%       | 53.3%         | 60.8%            | 61.5%          | 66.7%           |
| Palakkad           | 78.7%       | 77.3%       | 71.8%         | 80.1%            | 81.4%          | 87.2%           |

Besides,  the  following  steps  have  been  taken  on  Thiruvananthapuram  and Palakkad Divisions to further improve punctuality performance:-

- i. Rationalization of the timings of 90 Mail / Express trains with effect from 13.06.2018.

- ii. Diversion of five pairs of trains via Shoranur 'B' cabin bye-passing Shoranur Junction,  with  effect  from  20.04.2018,  to  avoid  detention  of  trains  at Shoranur Junction.
- iii. Operating twenty pairs of Express trains in  Thiruvananthapuram Division with WAP7 locomotives for better acceleration/deceleration of trains.
3. (g): Introduction of MEMU trains is an ongoing process on Indian Railways subject to operational feasibility & traffic demand etc.

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