Lok Sabha Question No. 5082 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-04-02
Subject: Redevelopment Projects for Ernakulam Town and Junction Railway Stations
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Hibi Eden

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5082 TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.04.2025

## REDEVELOPMENT  PROJECTS FOR ERNAKULAM TOWN AND JUNCTION RAILWAY STATIONS

5082. SHRI HIBI EDEN:

## Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  there  are  strategies  to  address  obstacles  and  ensure  the timely completion of the redevelopment projects in Ernakulam Town and Junction  Railway  Stations  with  specified  quality,  if  so,  the  details thereof;
- (b) whether the redevelopment plans consider passengers entering from the rear of the Ernakulam Town  and Junction Railway Stations particularly in ensuring access to basic facilities like toilets, , if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  whether  provisions  have  been  made  to  meet  the  needs  of  special groups including lactating women, differently-abled individuals, transgenders and women concerning facilities, security and mandatory arrangements, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether a comprehensive overview is available for the new facilities planned  for  Ernakulam  Town  and  Junction  such  as  the  proposed  Sky
- Walks and Multilevel Car Parking  ; and
- (e) if so, the details including capacity, quality, efficiency and effectiveness and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND

## ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

- (a)  to  (e):  Ministry  of  Railways  has  identified  Ernakulam  Town  and Ernakulam  Junction  Railway  Station  for  redevelopment  under  'Amrit Bharat  Station  Scheme'.  The  works  at  identified  stations  have  been

taken  up  with  good  pace.  The  progress  at  Ernakulam  Town  and Ernakulam Junction stations is given below: At  Ernakulam  Junction  station,  the  foundations  work  of  east  terminal building,  multi-level  car  parking  and  service  building  completed.  The structural  works  of  east  terminal  building,  multi-level  car  parking  and service  building  have  been  taken  up.  Further  the  structural  works  of office  building,  P-way  depot  and  P-way  office  completed,  and  the finishing  works  have  been  taken  up.  The  foundation  works  of  west terminal building have been taken up. At  Ernakulam  Town  station,  the  structural  works  of  west  terminal building  (Segment  -I),  multi-level  car  parking  have  been  taken  up.  The foot over bridge foundation works completed and fabrication works have been taken up. The structural work of residential tower completed, and block  masonry  works  have  been  taken  up.The  works  for  temporary substation, new optical fibre cable repeater room and temporary sewage treatment plant have been completed. Redevelopment  plans  of  Ernakulam  Junction  and  Ernakulam  Town stations have provisions for passengers entering from rear side through station building/ foot over bridge/ Skywalks as applicable. The  redevelopment  plans  also  have  provisions  for  feeding  room,  Child Help line, health facilitation, security arrangements, toilets etc. There is provision of Multi-Level Car Parking at Ernakulum Junction and Ernakulum  Town  and  Skywalk  arrangement  from  Ernakulum  Junction station  to  Ernakulum  South  Metro  station.  Skywalk  is  planned  from Ernakulum  Town  station  to  Ernakulum  North  Road  Over  Bridge  from where access is available to bus stop and Town Hall Metro Station.  East

Terminal of Ernakulum Junction station is very close to Manorama Bus stand.  Above  arrangements  are  considered  adequate  and  effective  for passengers coming to Railway station by Metro/Bus/Road Vehicle.

Amrit  Bharat  Station  Scheme  envisages  development  of  stations  on  a continuous  basis  with  a  long  term  approach.This  scheme  involves preparation  of  Master  Plans  and  their  implementation  in  phases  to improve  the  amenities  at  the  stations  like  improvement  of  station access, circulating areas, waiting halls, toilets, lift/escalators as necessary,  cleanliness,  free  Wi-Fi,  kiosks  for  local  products  through schemes  like  'One  Station  One  Product',  better  passenger  information systems,  executive  lounges,  nominated  spaces  for  business  meetings, landscaping etc. keeping in view the necessity at each such station.

The  scheme  also  envisages  improvement  of  building,  integrating  the station with both sides of the city, multimodal integration, amenities for Divyangjans, sustainable and environment friendly solutions, provision of ballast  less  tracks,  etc.  as  per  necessity,  phasing  and  feasibility  and creation of city centres at the station in the long term.

So far, 1337 stations have been identified for development under Amrit Bharat  Station  Scheme,  out  of  which  35  stations  including  Ernakulam Town   and   Ernakulam   Junction    are   located   in  the state of Kerala.

The  names  of  stations  identified  for  development  under  Amrit  Bharat Station Scheme in the state of Kerala are as following:

| State   |   No. of Amrit Stations | Names of Amrit Stations                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|---------|-------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Kerala  |                      35 | Alappuzha, Angadippuram, Angamali For Kaladi, Chalakudi, Changanassery, Chengannur, Chirayinkeezh, Ernakulam, Ernakulam Town, Ettumanur, Ferok, Guruvayur, Kannur, Kasargod, Kayankulam, Kollam, Kozhikode, Kuttippuram, Mavelikara, Neyyatinkara, Nilambur Road, Ottappalam, Parappanangadi, Payyanur, Punalur, Shoranur Jn, Thalassery, Thiruvananthapuram, Thrisur, Tirur, Tiruvalla, Tripunithura, Vadakara, VarkalaSivagiri, Wadakancheri |

Indian Railways has an inbuilt mechanism to check the quality of works, which  is  being  performed  at  various  levels  by  concerned  Railway officials as per guidelines laid down in the Indian Railways Engineering Code,  Indian  Railways  Works  Manual  and  Specification  etc.  and  the works meeting the laid down standards only are accepted.

Further,  development / redevelopment / upgradation  of  Railway  Stations  is complex in nature involving safety of passengers & trains and requires various  statutory  clearances  such  as  fire  clearance,  heritage,  tree cutting,  airport  clearance  etc.  The  progress  also  gets  affected  due  to brown  field  related  challenges  such  as  shifting  of  utilities,  (involving water/sewage  lines,  optical  fiber  cables,  gas  pipe  lines,  power/signal cables etc.,) infringements, operation of trains without hindering passenger  movement,  speed  restrictions  due  to  works  carried  out  in close proximity of high voltage power lines etc . and these factors affect the completion time .

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