Lok Sabha Question No. 5153 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-04-02
Subject: New Trains for Kerala
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Kodikunnil Suresh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5153 TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.04.2025

## NEW TRAINS FOR KERALA

5153. SHRI KODIKUNNIL SURESH:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has any plans to introduce new train services to and within Kerala to improve connectivity and address increasing passenger demand;
- (b) if so, the details of the proposed new trains including routes, frequency, and expected date of commencement;
- (c)  whether  the  Government  has  received  any  requests  from  the  Kerala Government or public representatives for additional train services, and if so, the action taken thereon; and
- (d)  the  details  of  the  steps  being  taken  to  enhance  rail  infrastructure including doubling, electrification and new railway line projects in Kerala to support the introduction of new trains?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

- (a) to (d) Railway network straddles across State boundaries. Accordingly, trains are introduced across such boundaries as per network requirement. However,    during  the  period  2022-23  and  2024-25  (till  February,2025),  10 new train services including 04 Vande Bharat train services  (on originating /terminating basis) have been introduced,  serving various stations located in the State of Kerala.

Further,  receipt  of  requests/  representations  inter  alia  for  introduction  of new train services is a continuous and dynamic process. The requests/representations so  received  are  examined  and  action  as  found feasible and justified is taken from time to time.

Besides, introduction of new train services is an ongoing process on Indian Railways  subject  to  traffic  justification,  operational  feasibility,  resource availability, etc.

Presently, the Broad Gauge network situated in the State of Kerala has been 100% electrified.

## Railway Infrastructure:

Railway  projects  are  also  surveyed/  sanctioned/executed  Zonal  Railway wise and not State-wise as the Railways' projects may span across State boundaries. Railway projects are sanctioned on the basis of remunerativeness, traffic  projections,  last  mile  connectivity,  missing  links and alternate routes, augmentation of congested/saturated lines, demands raised  by  State  Governments,  Central  Ministries,  Members  of  Parliament, other public representatives, Railway's own operational requirement, socioeconomic  considerations  etc.  depending  upon  throwforward  of  ongoing projects and overall availability of funds.

As on 01.04.2024, 08 projects (02 new lines, and 06 Doubling) of total length of 419 Km, costing ₹12,350 crore, falling fully/partly in the State of Kerala, are at various stages of planning and implementation, out  of which 26 Km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of ₹3,046 crore has been incurred upto March, 2024. The summary is as under:-

| Category                |   No. of projects |   Total Length (in Km) |   Length Commissioned (in Km) | Expenditure upto March 2024 (₹ in Cr.)   |
|-------------------------|-------------------|------------------------|-------------------------------|------------------------------------------|
| New Line                |                 2 |                    146 |                             0 | 304                                      |
| Doubling/ Multitracking |                 6 |                    273 |                            26 | 2,742                                    |
| Total                   |                 8 |                    419 |                            26 | 3,046                                    |

Budget  allocation for infrastructure projects and  safety  works,  falling fully/partly in the State of Kerala is as under:

| Period   | Outlay                           |
|----------|----------------------------------|
| 2009-14  | ₹372 crore/year                  |
| 2025-26  | ₹3,042 crore (more than 8 times) |

Execution of important infrastructure projects falling fully/partly in the State of  Kerala  is  held  up  due  to  delay  in  land  acquisition.  Status  of  land acquisition in Kerala is as under:

| Total Land required for Projects in   | 476 Ha       |
|---------------------------------------|--------------|
| Kerala                                |              |
| Land Acquired                         | 66 Ha (14%)  |
| Balance Land to be acquired           | 410 Ha (86%) |

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

Details of some major projects which are delayed due to land acquisition are as under:-

| Land acquisition status in major Projects of Kerala   | Land acquisition status in major Projects of Kerala   | Land acquisition status in major Projects of Kerala   | Land acquisition status in major Projects of Kerala   | Land acquisition status in major Projects of Kerala   | Land acquisition status in major Projects of Kerala   |
|-------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|
| Sl. No.                                               | Name of Project                                       | Total Status of Land (Ha)                             | Total Status of Land (Ha)                             | Total Status of Land (Ha)                             | Amount deposited with State                           |
|                                                       |                                                       | Total Scope                                           | Total Acquired                                        | Total Pending                                         | govt. (Cr)                                            |
| 1                                                     | Trivandrum- Kanyakumari Doubling                      | 40                                                    | 33                                                    | 7                                                     | 1312                                                  |
| 2                                                     | Eranakulam- Kumbalam Doubling                         | 4                                                     | 2                                                     | 2                                                     | 262                                                   |
| 3                                                     | Kumbalam-Turavur Doubling                             | 10                                                    | 6                                                     | 4                                                     | 248                                                   |
| 4                                                     | Angamali - Sabarimala new line                        | 416                                                   | 24                                                    | 392                                                   | 282                                                   |

Government  of  India  is  geared  up  to  execute  projects,  however  success depends upon the support of Government of Kerala. The completion of any Railway project depends on various factors like quick land acquisition by State Government, forest clearance by officials of forest department, deposition of cost share by State Government in cost sharing projects, priority of projects, shifting of infringing utilities, statutory clearances from various authorities, geological and topographical conditions of  area,  law  and  order  situation  in  the  area  of  project(s)  site,  number  of working months in a year for particular project site due to climate conditions etc.

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