Title - Rs 10 crore allotted for Central railway station

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Railway has issued final orders allotting funds amounting to Rs10 crore for the development of the Thiruvananthapuram Central Station during 2012-13, Dr Shashi Tharoor MP said here on Tuesday.  He said that this major fund allocation was done under a special collaborative scheme between the Ministry of Railways and the Union Ministry of Tourism for creating modern, international-level infrastructure and facilities at select stations in the country.  The funds are to be utilised for undertaking 14 major items of work for infrastructure development, augmenting passenger facilities and transforming existing levels of customer care, cleanliness and punctuality. The allotment through this special scheme is a welcome development since it will result in tangible improvements in a relatively short time unlike other schemes which are funded purely by the Railway through its own resources.  The improvements in the facade of the station building (` 50 lakh), circulating area so as to ensure proper entry and exit of vehicles, etc and adequate parking space (` 70 lakh) and installation of a lighting tower at an appropriate place for proper illumination with  cost-effective lighting arrangements at the platforms, concourses etc (` 30 lakh) are the highlights of the scheme.  Installation of lifts/escalators and subways for access to platforms/island platforms (` 3.5 crore), arrangements for handicapped-friendly approaches to station and platforms (` 30 lakh); purchase of modern trolleys with brakes (` 30 lakh), cloak room facilities with  individual lock facility for tourists (` 50 lakh), renovated, modern pay & use toilets and making provision of garbage bins, rest room facilities for both ladies and gents (` 80 lakh), waiting rooms and retiring rooms with modern furniture and enough benches for waiting passengers, provision of TV/announcement systems (` 70 lakh), passenger guidance system and setting up of International Tourist Bureaus (` 50 lakh), improvement of platform surface (` 20 lakh), improvement of booking and enquiry offices (` 50 lakh); executive lounges of international standard (` 1 crore) and availability of refreshment rooms/ Jan Ahaar/ AVMs/ food plazas etc with multi-cuisine food (` 20 lakh) are the other facilities which will come up under the scheme.  Tharoor said that the important initiative will definitely transform Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station into a world-class public facility.