Thiruvananthapuram: Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC) has been asked to approach Southern Railway and sort out technical issues connected with the suburban rail transport system following its failure to clarify the technical objections of Railways. This was decided at the first meeting of the proposed joint venture company to be incorporated between the Railways and the state government to operate the services with a 49:51 stakeholding.
The previous government had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Railways to develop the state's rail infrastructure jointly. MRVC had proposed Electrical Multiple Unit (EMU) trains through the Rapid Rail Transit System (RRTS) for the 125.65-km stretch between Thiruvananthapuram Central and Chengannur. However, the railways insisted on a third exclusive line kept apart for it as they felt that if the RRTS using EMU trains is operated along the existing lines, it would adversely affect operations of mail and express trains.
The detailed project report prepared by the MRVC and approved by the State has found that RRTS will cost Rs 3,330.78 crore if it was operated along the existing line with raised platforms and advanced signalling system. The RRTS was as part of the proposed special purpose vehicle between the State and Railways to take up rail projects. One of the advantages pointed out for the RRTS was that it only required an upgrade of the existing network and no land acquisition was involved. However, with the railways rejecting this model and proposing a new line, the chances are that it would escalate the costs.
