Lok Sabha Question No. 240 (STARRED), answered on 2024-08-07
Subject: Kottayam Railway Station as Terminal Station
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Adv K. Francis George

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 240

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.08.2024

## KOTTAYAM RAILWAY STATION AS TERMINAL STATION

- *240.     ADV K. FRANCIS GEORGE:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS  be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government had decided and sanctioned the Kottayam railway station in Kerala as terminal station along with Nemon station of Kerala 13 years ago;
- (b) if so, the present status of the proposal and the follow up action taken by the Railways thereon;
- (c) whether  the  Government  will  consider  extension  of  certain services  terminating  at  Ernakulam  to  Kottayam  and  stops  for long  distance  trains  plying  via  Kottayam  considering  the  fact that  Kottayam  railway  station  is  located  in  the  central  part  of Kerala  and passengers from the nearby districts have to board from Kottayam; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

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

*****

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF STARRED QUESTION NO. 240 BY ADV K. FRANCIS GEORGE TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 07.08.2024  REGARDING KOTTAYAM RAILWAY STATION AS TERMINAL STATION

(a) to (d): Kottayam  Railway  Station  is  an  existing  crossing  station with five platforms and considering that trains are dealt from both North and South directions, developing it as terminal station is not presently under consideration.

However,  the  work  of  'Development  of  new  Coaching  Terminal  at Nemam' has been sanctioned in April, 2023 at a total cost of 116.57 crore.

Railway Infrastructure Projects are taken up on the basis of remunerativeness,  last  mile  connectivity,  missing  links  and  alternate routes,  augmentation of congested/saturated lines, socio-economic considerations,  enhancing  connectivity  to  tourist  and  cultural  places etc. depending upon liabilities of ongoing projects, overall availability of funds and competing demands.

Since 2014, there has been substantial increase in fund allocation and commensurate commissioning of projects in State of Kerala as under:-

| Period   | Average Outlay   | Increase w.r.t. average allocation of 2009-14   |
|----------|------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
| 2009-14  | 372 crore/year   | -                                               |
| 2023-24  | 2,033 crore      | more than 5 times                               |
| 2024-25  | 3,011 crore      | more than 8 times                               |

Though fund allocation has increased manifold but pace of execution of project is dependent on expeditious land acquisition.

Railway acquires the land through State Government. State Government assesses the compensation amount and advises to Railway. On receipt of  demand  from  State  Government,  Railway  deposits  compensation amount with concerned District Land acquisition Authority.

Execution  of  important  infrastructure  projects  falling  fully/partly  in  the State of Kerala is held up due to delay in land acquisition and only about 62.83  Ha  land  has  been  acquired  out  of  total  requirement  of  about 459.54 Ha.

Railway  had  initiated  efforts  for  acquisition  of  land  but  could  not succeed in acquiring land for projects though Railway has paid  2125.61 Crore to Government of Kerala for land acquisition.

Support  of  the  Government  of  Kerala  is  needed  to  expedite  the  land acquisition.

Kottayam  is  presently  being  served  by  89  train  services  including 20633/20634  Kasaragod  -  Thiruvananthapuram  Central  Vande  Bharat Express.    Besides,  extension/provision  of  stoppages  in  an  ongoing process on Indian Railways, subject to traffic  justification,  operational fesibility, availability of resources etc.

*****