Even as the Tripunithura railway station’s wait for a central nod for stops for at least two trains continues, the railway ministry’s statement that the revenue generated by the station is too little to allot stops for more trains, has come as a shocker.
Though P. Rajeev, M P, argued using an RTI reply that the station gets a revenue of Rs 44 lakh on an
average every month, the ministry is of the opinion that it is lesser than what is needed.
However, members of the Tripunithura Rajanagari Union of Residents Association (TRURA) cite that the collection of smaller stations like Karunagappally (Rs 39 lakh) and Sasthamkotta (Rs 10 lakh), where most of the express trains stop, is lesser than Tripunithura’s revenue.
It is also alleged that a union minister from the state played a crucial role in not sanctioning stops for any trains at Tripunithura station.
This minister had earlier given a report to the railway ministry that allotting stops for trains at Tripunithura would not be viable.
It was in June last, when the proposal to demolish the North railway overbridge was tabled, that the residents of Tripunithura met the minister, Mr K Babu, and asked for stops for more trains as the dismantling works would affect the easy commutation to North railway station.
“The following day, union minister K.V.Thomas promised at a public function that sanction would be given soon,” said Mr V.C.Jayendran, the convener of TRURA. “However, it remained a statement, and so we organised a hunger strike at Tripunithura railway station in October,” he added.
Later, P Rajeev promised that he would get sanction from the union ministry for stops for more trains. It is also learnt that the then Union railway minister, Mr Trivedi, had directed the general manager of Southern Railways to allot stops for trains at Tripunithura. However, it has now taken a u-turn as the railways has decided to reconsider the decision.