Title - MEMU trains: Nod for feasibility studies

With the objective to reduce the pressure on road traffic, the state Cabinet has decided to go in for feasibility studies for introducing MEMU (Mainline Electric Multiple Unit) train services in the T’Puram-Harippad and T’Puram-Chengannur stretches where double lines are currently operational.

The Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation, a joint venture of the Maharashtra and Union Governments, has been entrusted with the task of conducting the feasibility studies.

In a post-Cabinet briefing on Wednesday, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said that the State Government would join hands with the Railways for the project.

“A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) will be formed for taking up the project after feasibility studies. Automatic signaling systems will have to be introduced and 25 stations enroute will be upgraded to facilitate introduction of the MEMU service,” Chandy said.

The MEMU service will be introduced without affecting the existing train schedules and freight movement.

“More facilities will have to be added, such as elevated platforms in stations. One advantage is that the facility could be introduced at a relatively low cost of Rs two crore per kilometre and the service will have stops in all the stations enroute. It will ease the traffic in the road,” Chandy said.

“It can be extended to Ernakulam through the coastal route and Kottayam sector once the entire rail doubling works is completed,” he said.

e-Office at Secretariat

The government will introduce the e-Office file processing system in all departments of the Secretariat. Developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC), the software will be a  modern processing system. This will be an add-on to the IDEAS File Tracking System.

Relief measures in Idukki

The Chief Minister said that the Revenue Minister had visited Idukki earlier this week and held discussions with the district authorities so as to expedite relief measures for the natural calamities-affected people.

Chandy said that the Cabinet had decided to add Rs two lakh from the Prime Ministers Relief Fund as assistance to the families of  those deceased, in addition to the State Government aid of Rs 2.10 lakh.

The list of eligible persons in this regard will be sent soon to the Central Government.

Release of compensation to heirs, where there is no dispute, will be done immediately without waiting for the legal heirship certificates, the Chief Minister said.

Immediate assistance will be provided to people whose houses had been damaged partially or fully. The Cabinet decided to allow engineers in panchayats to certify the damages, instead of the mandatory certification by PWD engineers, Chandy said.

Road Repairs to be completed in a month

The Cabinet has accorded administrative sanction to the Rs 431-crore work proposal for roads, covering the 14 districts, submitted by the PWD.

An additional amount of Rs 200 crore has also been sanctioned to the PWD for undertaking the repair works. Repairing of damaged roads across the state will be completed within a  month, Chandy said.

PWD Minister V K Ebrahim Kunju has already visited seven out of the 14 districts and held discussions with MLAs and other people’s representatives.

“On-the-spot decisions have been taken for expediting the repair works. Seven of the remaining districts will be covered by the Minister in this month itself,” he said.