Lok Sabha Question No. 3898 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-11
Subject: Kozhikode Railway Station as World Class Station
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: M. K. Raghavan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3898 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.12.2019

## KOZHIKODE RAILWAY STATION AS WORLD CLASS STATION

3898.  SHRI M.K. RAGHAVAN:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  present  status  and  details  of  developing  Kozhikode  railway station  as  World  Class  station  including  the  funds  allotted  and  time frame proposed;
- (b) whether there is demand to have more MEMU services in Palakkad division  including  Kozhikode  railway  station  and  the  details  of  the MEMU services approved;
- (c)  whether  the  LHB  coach  attached  trains  in  Palakkad  division  are very few indicating a disparity of allotment of LHB coaches among the divisions  and  the  remedial  measures  proposed  to  have  more  LHB coaches in Palakkad division trains;
- (d) whether Railways had conducted any study on the volume of traffic on  the  Mangalore-Kozhikode-Bangalore  section  and  if  so,  the  details thereof; and
- (e) whether there is any proposal to add more trains from Mangalore/Kozhikode  side  to  Bangalore  against  the  prevailing  two trains on the basis of demand and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

(SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

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

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  to  (e)  OF UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  3898  BY  SHRI  M.K.  RAGHAVAN  TO  BE ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  11.12.2019  REGARDING  KOZHIKODE RAILWAY STATION AS WORLD CLASS STATION

(a):  Kozhikode  railway  station  has  been  entrusted  to  Rail  Land Development  Authority  (RLDA)  in  August  2019  for  redevelopment. RLDA has initiated action for appointment of Consultant for feasibility study, preparation of Master Plan and Detailed Project Report etc.  As the station is planned to be redeveloped in PPP mode with no cost to Railway, allocation of fund is not required.

Station redevelopment project is complex in nature and requires detailed  techno-financial  feasibility  studies  and  statutory  clearances from local authorities.  Therefore, no time-frame for completion of the project can be indicated at this stage.

(b)to(e): Presently, four pairs of MEMU services, namely 66606/66607 Palakkad Town-Coimbatore MEMU, 66605/66604 Coimbatore-Shoranur MEMU,  66608/66609  Palakkad  Town-Erode  MEMU  and  66611/66612 Palakkad-Ernakulam  MEMU  are  being  operated    in  the  Palakkad Division,  which  is  adequately  catering  to  the  needs  of  passengers. Requests, including that from the Hon'ble Member of Parliament have been  received  for  introduction  of  more  MEMU  services  in  Palakkad Division. However, owing to the operational and resource constraints, at present there is no proposal to introduce additional MEMU trains in Palakkad Division.

Conversion  of  coaches  of  trains  into  LHB  coaches,  is  being undertaken  in  phase-wise  manner.  Accordingly,  29  pairs  of  trains running with LHB coaches, are serving Palakkad Division.

To cater to the needs of Bangaluru-Mangaluru sector, 16585/16586 Yesvantpur-Mangaluru Central Express has been introduced  w.e.f.  21.02.2019,  which  is  in  addition  to  the  4  pairs  of services serving the sector. Similarly, two pairs of trains are catering to the Mangaluru-Kozhikode sector.  However, at present, there is no proposal to introduce new train between Kozhikode-KSR Bangaluru.

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