Kaleidoscope Express: Railway Budget 2011

Mamataji's day out. And a pretty postcard stuff. You can very nearly smell the gourmet coffee brewing. The very stuff which oozes just before an Election.

Righton. Back to business. While I have conformation that the Budget speech was neither in Bengali, nor in Malayalam (as being widely propagated on cyberspace) it's very certain that AKG Bhavan (and Center) is abuzz with 'public relations' experts as to how to tackle this largely unprecedented pre-election attack.

Whatever the politicians say or do, or before we start counting the chicken still in egg-protein form, let's see the facts for facts.

Kerala at 2011 Railway Budget.

12 new trains. Amen. Because this is the number which makes all headlines for good reasons or not. Appreciation to the Minister and all those who worked for this.

Chennai- Trivandrum Duranto. Excusez moi, but isn't this the 10th Express connecting TVC to the major South Indian Metro? And most of them run daily. All right, to cater and connect to the large transit commuter base and expat population in Chennai? But isn't the discrepancy evident when you note that the annoyingly snail-paced Island Express is the ONLY daily Express train connecting Trivandrum to the other similarly prominent metro Bangalore?

Weekly Express trains to Gujarat, both via Konkan
Kochuveli- Porbandar
Kochuveli- Bhavnager

Rajya Rani Express: Introduction of a new set of trains connecting state capitals with important cities/towns in those states: Nilambur Road - Trivandrum Link Express (daily) which could be a good option. Interesting to see if its is a night train or a day one.

Vivek Express: To mark the l50th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda which will be celebrated in 2013, it is proposed to introduce new trains called "Vivek Express". Kerala bags two of them:
i. Dibrugarh- Trivandrum -Kanniyakumari Express (weekly)
ii. Howrah-Mangalore Express (Weekly) via Palghat

Mangalore - Palakkad Intercity Express (daily): Good one for Malabar as this would help solving the teething travel problems of the region to an extent.

Ernakulam- Bangalore Express (weekly): Again I don't quite get the 'weekly' business in this route. How longer would we need to turn a blind eye and deaf ear towards the persistent accusation that this is a result of backroom dealings of the Bus Lobby? Kerala needs daily and overnight Express/ Superfast connections to Bangalore. Pronto!

Bilaspur- Ernakulam Superfast (weekly)

Special tourist trains called "Janam Bhoomi Gaurav" will be introduced connecting important historical and educational places on the following circular route: Chennai - Puduchcheri - Tiruchichirappali - Madurai - Kanniyakumari -Thiruvanathapuram - Emakulam - Chennai

MEMU:
Ernakulam- Kollam (via Alappuzha)
Kollam- Nagercoil

Also to top up the list, Shornur- Ernakulam Passenger will now run all days instead of 6

Nagercoil- Trivandrum passenger painfully extended to Kochuveli, just 8km away!

There are a few annual jokes called 'surveys' announced, as usual. Let's not waste time on listing them out; I'll tell you why these surveys are conducted. So that some people in Indian Railways always have something to do. The serious ones, which could benefit both the state and Railways could be:

Mysore- Thalassery line 154km (red)
Trivandrum- Punalur- Pathanamthitta- Chengannur line (blue)
Nanjangode- Nilambur Road  238km (green)

On the infrastructure front, provision for new coaching terminal at Nemom provides hope, especially in view of Vizhinjam terminal. Though the Vizhinjam railway line is a separate budget allocation from Railway budget, it isn't too early to think or to send the nomad surveyors to Eastern suburbs and villages to see how Vizhinjam- Balaramapuram/ Nemom - Nedumangad/ Murukkumpuzha line could prevent a future heart-block on the Nemom- TVC- Kochuveli circuit. Mile-long snaky container trains on their way out via Trivandrum Central blocking all incoming trains as well as chronically locking down all level crossings isn't something we want eh?

 Green- proposed Punalur- Trivandrum line

 Pink- Trivandrum Terminal complex Bypass for Vizhinjam

The same principle also applies to the already operational super-port of Vallarpadam. This budget also maintains its silence on how the container traffic from VICTT is channelized out of the state to peripheral industrial hinterlands. Survey for quadrupling the Edapally- Shoranur line is a good step in the right direction but a dedicated freight corridor parallel to the existing line must also be an open option. If Railways plan to utilize the already gasping Edapally- Trichur line to operate container traffic then "God bless the Queen" is all what I've to say.

Modernisation of stations: Budget keeps mum. But there is a cliche. Read on:

Rail Tourism


We have planned for rail business with Ministry of Tourism. If successful this year, we will expand the partnership' To improve look of railway stations and its approaches, the cost will be shared on 50:50 basis. The stations are : Madurai, Thiruvananthapuram, Rameshwaram.

So what does this mean? Already Trivandrum, Ernakulam North and Calicut are on the list for modernization to Int'l standards with all those swanky features such as separate level arrival/ departures like those in aerodromes. So this new 'improvement of looks' confuses me. Have they scrapped the 'International-ization' project? Anyone?

Most importantly, for the 4th consecutive year, the Coach Factory at Kanjikkode gets its honourable mention in budget without even a single piece of wrought iron yet to be manufactured there. The Cherthala also gets into Year II of 'mention'. That's a pass.

Rail Yatri Nivas & Budget Hotel at Trivandrum. Old wine in new bottle.

Pretty curious to note that the proposal for a Railway Medical College on the premises of Pettah Rail Hospital promised in last years show, hasn't reached anywhere. Also there've been rumours that this is the same project that is now being planned somewhere in Tamil Nadu. Hello?

Also some Water Bottling Plant was the toast last year, it has been replaced by something else. Some Mechanized Laundry or something.

The issue is that Kerala is not craving for dozen new trains every year. While these weekly trains to far off Malayali niches are a bane, the reality that with every passing year the situation at home becomes more and more chaotic isn't to be strapped up in covers. That's is what the applauders for this Budget should check out.

Kochuveli Terminal SHOULD be completed at any cost ASAP. Trivandrum Central can no longer cater to the existing traffic as it is choc-a-block.(See image on right) Trains are now held more and more in the outer and in suburban stations. Upgrading KCVL  with completion of Platforms 2 & 3 along with the pitlines will solve the issues of managing, parking and servicing coaches to a great extent. Nemom Terminal is a very welcome step but if they're going to do it the same way as Kochuveli then things going to be back to square one.

The extremely crucial track doubling is sure to carry on a t the present snail-pace. Excerpts from The Hindu

While land acquisition for the proposed coaching terminals will pose a problem for the State, the saturated terminal capacity in Thiruvananthapuram, Nagercoil, Ernakulam and line capacity are the biggest constraints for the Railways in commencing the new trains in the budget. The Railways cannot handle any more trains from the saturated Thiruvananthapuram Central. Handling Duronto Express sanctioned from Chennai will be an arduous task.

“Unless the terminal facilities are improved at Kochuveli, the Railways will have to take the trains to Kazhakuttom or far-off places and bring them back at the time of the departure,” sources said.

 Punctuality of services, maintenance of rakes and the track and the movement of goods trains will have to be restricted as the line is choked.The announcement of projects and sanctioning of trains without taking into account the ground situation has come in for criticism.

So there. With the elections out of the way, we may be back to ground reality in the next budget. But unless the state priorities itself instead of going on wild goose chases like Peninsular Railway Zone, things are going to stay put. Not going into the necessity and advantages of a separate Zone but a fully electrified and doubled main-line, parallel line to MC Road connecting Sabari line to Punalur and to Trivandrum/ Vizhinjam, connecting Malabar to Mysore which will drastically cut travel times to Bangalore & beyond and development of major terminals including Kochuveli, Nemom ought to be our priority to-do list.

Adding more and more trains to the already crumbling and struggling infrastructure will only add more woes to commuters in terms of slow speeds and later running of trains, fuel inefficiency and man-hour losses, handling of trains in major station outer etc. Our representatives and officials ought to draft their necessities and prioritize the list in the best interest of the state.

Images courtesy: Southern Railway discussion board

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Railway Budget 2010-11: Bitter-sweet Kerala

Thank you Mamataji, two-and-a-half hours of verbal orgasm in the imperious Parliament building...

552 pair of ears live on the stage...Millions listening on the idiot-box, and for updates here on webspace (though Sachin Tendulkar cruelly overshadowed the spotlight on Mamata and her trains by that epic-script at Gwalior). Railway Budget is a matter of huge interest for the infrastructure-development geeks as well as for the common Indian public.

And as usual after the ritual, the cross-examination begins. The coalition partners haaaaaappy and rapturous, the opposition states frowning, the Commie West Bengal Govt caught in political doldrums even as this was  almost a jackpot hit for the state, the experts in media analyzing the pros and cons of the Budget. Afterall we all need some job.

For Kerala? It's a mixed bag. Check out the major promises: (I'm not including the whole list of proposals for Kerala. You can access the entire budget speech from the link provided at the end of the passage)

•  7 new trains 

Ernakulam- Mumbai Durando

Ernakulam- Pune Superfast

Trichy- Mangalore Express

Trivandrum- Calicut Jansatabdhi via Kottayam

Trivandrum- Bhopal Bharath Thirth Circuit train 

Shornur- Nilambr Passenger

Ernakulam- Kollam MEMU

• 3 Trains extended

Coimbatore- Calicut Passenger extended to Kannur

Trivandrum- Ernakulam Intercity to Guruvayoor

Kochuveli- Yesvantpur Express to Hubli

• New water bottling plant in Trivandrum
• Survey for 5 new lines

 Punaloor- Trivandrum

Chenganoor- Trivandrum

Madurai- Kottayam

Dindigul- Kumily

Calicut- Angadipuram

Mysore- Thalassery  line (approved)

So there! The list is too long is it? May be because it is stuffed with that list of Survey proposals which turn out to be a relaxing 'roam-around and sight-seeing' picnic project for officials. Thank God most of these surveys are not realized, otherwise Kerala would now be having more railway lines than Panchayath roads.

A few proposals for new trains have been made but we were promised a similar list in the last budget as well. Ahmed saar managed to flag-off a few longies but the Durando/ Thurantho/ whatever-you-call-it, promised last year still runs only on paper. Same is the case with trains promised via Nagercoil to Tirunelveli from Trivandrum. Where are they Sir?

Railway Budget is by far the best exercise in India which delivers what it promises, unlike the Union Budget projects, plans and proposals of our Corporations or the ridiculously hollow addresses by the President and Governor in their respective houses. To be fair, Railways most often deliver what they promise, and within a reasonable time frame. There are patches of dead-black soot though.

Kerala CM Mr. Achuthanandan and his Railway in-charge Mr. Vijayakumar are not impressed by Kerala's plate. They are cross at didi that our 'much cherished'  Railway Zone has not been granted. A good few high-ranking railway officials from our own state have repeatedly conveyed that an exclusive rail zone is not going to benefit the state much, other than satisfying the misplaced ego of some politicians. We still need more railway lines and also another Division in the state or from our neighbours to constitute the Zone. So we have to set our priorities right, the projects beneficial for the majority of common travelling public should get the chunk of budget allocation.

Only Attukal Radhakrishnan can confirm for sure if all these trains will commence operations before the next rail budget. E. Ahmed deserves an acknowledgment for his efforts; he has done well in the show-off game. Still, the travel woes remain.

After the Venad/ Janasatabdhi leaves Ernakulam at around 1800hrs, there is a 5-6 hour gap before the next one to the state Capital. Hopefully the new Janasatabdhi via Kottayam will solve this issue, we need a train between 1800- 2000hrs when the demand for a South-bound train is still at its peak.

The long standing cry for a better rail connectivity to Bangalore from Malabar/ Trivandrum has yet again been axed down mercilessly. The little blue-birdie says that its the 'Bus lobby', which makes merry in the Malabar- Bangalore route, in which one of our Ministers has a pie as well but shhhh... I didn't tell you this. ;)

Interestingly E. Ahmed has worked for Rail connectivity to 3 Kerala ports viz Azheekkal, Beypore and Thalassery. Something tells me that the Railways missed something big here, or may be its just me. (Survey to the Vizhinjam Harbour line is going on, so I guess it's not an appalling miss)

Malabar may have received a generous hand, especially with the Palakkad Coach Factory receiving final sanction. But the Wagon Factory at Cherthala may well have to wait. Also Ernakulam North has been included in the list threatening to convert it into International Standards. (Trivandrum Central received the red-alert a few years back, still Shankaran is right up there on the Coconut tree).

The MEMU promised between Ernakulam and Kollam is good news but nobody knows for sure how a frequent shuttle service is going to operate on single track between Kayamkulam and Kerala's commercial capital. The doubling works needs to be expedited, if not it will lead to serious delays in the services between Central and South Kerala.

Kochuveli Station woes are sure to continue for another year. The budget has allocated 92 lakhs, probably enough to chop off the grass and clear the shrubs in the enormous wood-lands like area. Something for the NDTV new-age politician to look into seriously.

So an over-all bitter-sweet affair, though nothing much to be too much elated about. Fair-play to E. Ahmed and Mamata for handing over a better token to the state, at least the name Kerala appeared more than once on the Budget speech (unlike when Lalu/Balu/Velu were doing the job). Still its been a dinner without starters or desserts, well that's how I feel. How 'bout you?


Click for Full Railway Budget Speech of Mamata Banerjee. 

Kerala Railway map courtesy hampi.in

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