Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

State Government to seek more railway projects

Special Correspondent

Chief Minister to hold discussions with Railway Minister

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Union Railway Minister Lalu Prasad will be arriving here on December 30 to commission new railway projects and attend the Sivagiri pilgrimage.

Minister in charge of Railways M.Vijayakumar told mediapersons here on Tuesday that a Government delegation led by Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan would hold discussions with Mr. Prasad seeking new lines, additional services, completion of railway over-bridges, electrification of lines and setting up rail-based industries in the State.

Union Minister of State for Railways R.Velu, Railway Finance Commissioner R.Sivadasan, Railway Board members R.R.Jarhur and Ramesh Chandra and Southern Railway general manager Thomas Varghese would be accompanying the Minister.

Mr. Vijayakumar said that Mr. Prasad would inaugurate electrification of the Ernakulam-Thiruvananthapuram line and lay stone for the second phase development of Kocuveli terminal at a function at Thampanoor on December 30 evening. He would leave for Delhi on December 31.

Mr. Vijayakumar said the discussions he had with Mr. Prasad were fruitful and the latter agreed to consider all demands except the formation of an exclusive railway zone. The Government sought a coach-repairing factory at Nemom, electrical multiple unit (EMU) car shed in Kollam and suburban network in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode.

Thiruvananthapuram Central was chosen to be developed as an international terminal at an estimated cost of Rs.100 crore along with 15 other terminals in the country including Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai.

The State Government decision to set up a Railway Development Corporation was pending with the Centre

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