The long-delayed second track along the 17-km stretch between Chingavanam and Ettumanur in Kottayam will be open to traffic on May 29.
Railway officials said works on the second track along the route had entered the final stages with traffic along Kottayam to be regulated from Friday till May 28 in different phases. The completion of works will be followed by the statutory inspection and speed trail of the tracks by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) on May 28.
“The track will be commissioned as soon as the CRS accords authorization and the first train is expected to pass through the route on May 29,” explained a railway official.
While the constructed speed of the section is 110 km per hour, the department expects the CRS to approve a maximum speed of up to 90 KM per hour. The section speed could be raised at a later stage based on the annual track report and by evaluating the weather conditions, the official added.
Opening of the new line is expected to ensure a smooth passage of trains along the busy stretch between Kayamkulam and Ernakulam via Kottayam, saving a running time of up to 15 minutes. Opening of the new track , which will bring an end to the interminable hold-up of trains at the Chingavanam, Kottayam and Ettumanur stations, will be also crucial in allocation of new trains along the route.
Track doubling along the stretch, which had remained in limbo for several years owing to issues in land acquisition, was slated to be completed by 2020. The project, however, was delayed by another couple of years owing to the pandemic situation and inclement weather conditions.
Alongside the commissioning of the new line, the authorities are also slated to complete the proposed expansion of the existing platforms at the Kottayam railway station, besides the construction of a separate platform exclusively for passenger trains and another one for goods trains.
