Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw revealed plans for the comprehensive redevelopment of 35 railway stations in Kerala during a recent press conference. This initiative is part of a broader railway development program aimed at improving infrastructure across the state.

Vaishnaw highlighted that the central government has allocated Rs 3,000 crore for Kerala’s railway development, significantly higher than the Rs 370 crore allocated over the past decade. Key projects include the full reconstruction of Thrissur railway station, for which Rs 393 crore has been earmarked.

The minister also announced several critical infrastructure upgrades, including the addition of new lanes on key rail corridors such as Mangaluru-Shoranur, Shoranur-Palakad-Coimbatore, and Shoranur-Ernakulam, as well as the introduction of new MEMU trains to enhance local services.

Regarding the Vande Bharat service on the Ernakulam-Alappuzha-Kayamkulam route, Vaishnaw noted that passenger feedback would be reviewed to address concerns, with the potential for rerouting through Kottayam. The government is also focusing on acquiring 460 hectares of land for dual-track construction, although only 14% of the required land has been acquired so far.