Kochi coaching terminal project to get delayed

The proposed project of the Integrated Coaching Terminal (ICT) on underutilised railway land at Ponnurunni in Kochi is delayed indefinitely. The project was proposed on 110 acres in the Ponnurunni-Kathrikkadavu region at the heart of the city. Southern Railway authorities had supported the project as it would ease the train movements through the state. Kerala Rail Development Corporation (KRDCL) also submitted its feasibility report on the project to the Southern Railway in January 2021. But the project is yet to take off. Before KRDCL submitted its feasibility report, Hibi Eden, MP, had submitted a preliminary project report prepared by a private firm to the railway minister in 2019. The proposals were mainly aimed to utilise a large area of railway land, which is underutilised, to speed up train movements through Ernakulam, where two railway stations are struggling due to a lack of required reception capacity of trains. Most of the trains coming to Ernakulam Town and Ernakulam Junction railway stations are being detained in the suburbs of the city due to this issue.Also read: Bengaluru’s Byappanahalli railway terminal to be opened by September