Kollam rail station set to get a ‘global’ facelift

Kollam: Kollam junction railway station will soon be elevated to international standards with the addition of a commercial complex, a training institute and other facilities, N K Premachandran MP said in a release.
Holding talks with the top officials of Southern Railway at its headquarters in Chennai, he said the project would be completed before December 2023. Kollam is one of the 21 railway stations in the country that has been planned to be elevated to international standards.In order to complete the project in a time bound manner, the railway’s construction wing will directly implement the project.
From November 15, the second escalator and lift will start functioning at the Kollam junction station. The MP's suggestion to convert the China palace (a rest house built in 1904) at the railway station premises here would be considered. Southern Railway general manager has issued instructions in this regard.
Premachandran also said he had received assurance from the railway authorities that all train services would be restored as it was in the pre-Covid time. Steps would be taken to solve the difficulties of the season ticket passengers. However, railway authorities said it would be difficult to convert the special trains to regular ones as of now as the Covid situation is still continuing in the state.
The electrification of the Kollam-Punalur route would be completed before March 31, 2022. Steps would also be made to include the electrification process of the Punalur-Sengottai route in the supplementary grant to be presented in the winter session of Parliament.
The demand to convert Punalur station as Sabarimala pilgrim station also would be considered. The water filling facility for trains will be arranged at Punalur.