[BabuCS]

The MEMU work shop is coming up at this location (an old Snap as the work has already started) The building seen is the Reservation centre.

]

Reghu, is that bridge on the right a new structure? I haven't seen that before.

 

[Reghu]

Reghu, is that bridge on the right a new structure? I haven't seen that before.

Yes, it is the new overbridge connecting Platform 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. It was inaugrated 1.5 years back. A new overbridge may come up near to the Fathima College end as Platform - 3 is extended to more than 1 KM in length as part of Kollam - Punalur BG conversion. Moreover, the MEMU platforms will come up at that side.

Two more new railway station buildings of Braud Gauge status is coming up at Karicode and Chandanthope within the city (exiting one's are MG one's). Besides, there will be a station at SN College junction exclusively for MEMU just like the proposed one at Chackai and Karamana in Trivandrum. With that, the 3 famous colleges in Kollam - SN college, TKM college and Fathima College - all will have railway station stops hardlly a stone's throw away from their door steps. This is unique to any Kerala city.

Truely, Kollam Junction is going to become the biggest junction in Kerala shortly.

 

[Reghu]

Some snaps of Kollam Junction premises

The Kollam Junction Station

The old Kollam station building - constructed 105 years ago:

Vikrant at Kollam Junction

The old Traveling Steam Crane called Vikrant stabled at Kollam Junction. This is part of a large accident relief group of vehicles

 

[Reghu]

Kollam SP Office Junction Flyover - Work resumes

The Kollam SP office junction Flyover work resumes. The piling started yesterday. The flyover will have a total width of 12 metres.

 

[Reghu]

Oachira - Paripally NH-47 to become 4-laner of 45m width

P Rajendran MP says the Ochira - Paripally NH-47 will definitely be a 4 -laner with 45 metres width.

As per the National Highway Authority the width of NH is 60 metres, but it is not feasible for the Kerala scenario.

But the width will not come down from the proposed 45 metres. The Kollam bypass will be completed as part of the NH-47 four laning. Already 45 metres is available in the bypass stretch.

 

[Reghu]

A new bridge to come at Kochupilamoodu near beach

Dricks to sketch the Kochupilamoodu Bridge near Kollam beach. The bridge will come up at the existing bridge location.

The work is expected to start in 4 months. The existing narrow bridge is a bottleneck at the busy beach road.

 

[Reghu]

Kollam Lal Bahadur Shastri Floodlight Stadium

Picture Courtesy: Nithin David

 

[Emerging_Quilon]

Friends Jana Sevan Kendram acts as an umbrella where you can perform transactions of the following offices:

Electricity Board
Water Authority
Kollam Corporation
Civil Supplies Department
Revenue Department
Motor Vehicle Department
Kerala University
BSNL

This was an excellent concept started by the government to have all the monthly payment offices to be under one umbrella. I have gone to the Kollam and Trivandrum offices for certain transactions. Moreover, the customers are treated very friendly by the employees there compared to the insipid approach of the general government offices. It will be quite handy for the public if these Friends Jana Sevan Kendram offices are there in all cities and towns.

 

[Reghu]

FRIENDS’ (Fast, Reliable, Instant, Effective Network for Disbursement of Services)

Objective:

FRIENDS’ (Fast, Reliable, Instant, Effective Network for Disbursement of Services) is a single window ‘no queue’ integrated remittance centre where the citizens have t he opportunity to pay all taxes and other dues to the Government under one roof at no extra cost. Offering a comfortable ambience, each ‘FRIENDS’centre accept payments of the Kerala University, Local body, Electricity Board, Water Authority, Land Revenue, Civil Supplies, Motor Vehicles, BSNL and Electrical Inspectorate. The computerized counters manned by customer friendly officials, work from 9.00 am to 7.00 pm, including all Sundays.

Kollam Friends' Address and Contact Details:

The Project Manager
FRIENDS Janasevana Kendram
Kollam Corporation Shopping Complex Building,
Andamukkum
Kollam.
Phone: 0474 – 2767451
friendsklm -at- keralaitmission.org

 

[Reghu]

Kollam Development Agenda for the new MP: Roads, Water Ways, Public Sector and Sports Agenda

• Kollam Bypass completion. The completion of the 4th and 5th phases to be expedited.
  
  
• Kollam - Kovalam stretch to be 6-laned in the first phaze as Cherthala - Kovalam NH-47 stretch received the concent to be 6-laned from the centre. A Super Highway can be set up.
  
  
• A byroad from Aashramam Chenkottu Junction Via Vilappuram to Mangad that is parallel to NH-208 has to be constructed. The sketch of this road is already done.
  
  
• Kollam - Ayur and Paripally - Madathara road should be renovated using central fund.
  
  Waterways development:
  
• The National Waterway-3 from Kollam to Kovalam has to completed soon for the Tourism development.
  
  Public Sector companies Development:
  
• Funds should be allocated for the renovation of IRE and Parvathy Mill public sector companies.
  
  Sports Infrastructure:
  
• Financial assistance required from centre for the Indoor stadium completion.

 

[Reghu]

Kollam Development Agenda for the new MP: Railway development Agenda

Railway development Agenda:

• Completion of Kollam Schencotta Braud Gauge conversion in a time bound manner
  
  
• Kollam - Punalur BG conversion completion has to be expedited and Punalur - Schencottah work has to be started.This will help the vegetble prices to be slashed as most of the vegetables come from Tamil Nadu through this route.
  
  
• NH-208 that is parallel to the Kollam - Schencotta railway line has to be repaired.
  
  
• A second Terminal has to be constructed for Kollam Junction near to Sankar's hospital junction. This will ease the heavy rush in the ticket counters in the first terminal.
  
  
• The Kollam MEMU that is connecting the major cities of South Kerala has to be completed soon.
  
  
• More projects like the coach factory in Cherthala can be setup in Kollam as there is enough land available for Railways here. This will give employment for thousands.
  
  
• Stop for Rajadhani at Kollam Junction.
  
  
• More compartement for Express Trains and Passenger trains to Alleppy or Kottayam in the afternoon required.

 

[Ajaypp]

^^ - That's an old turn table there. I guess not too many people know about railway turn-tables.

There is one at Trivandrum Central too, I think. Sadly these engineering marvels are not being preserved. hno:

Great to see that the MEMU work is in progress. I am sure the primary traffic will be on the Trivandrum - Kollam stretch, given how many commuters in this route commute daily to and from their jobs in Trivandrum.

Trivandrum Central will soon get dedicated MEMU platforms, along with its new world-class Terminal Building. Kerala's busiest station is getting set to become even busier with the MEMUs, which should skim a lot of traffic from the buses.

I think Trivandrum will have stations at Kazhakkoottam (Technopark), Kochuveli (Airport), Pettah, Central and Nemom for the MEMUs. The city itself (forget the U/A) is over 35 Kms long in the north-south axis, stretching from Kazhakkoottam to Balaramapuram. This needs at least 6-7 stations.

Great going, Reghu. Keep up the updates. kay:

 

[Reghu]

Kollam Development Agenda for the new MP - Cashew Board and District Hospital Development

Cashew Board at Kollam

Cashew Board should be formed soon and it should be head quartered at Kollam itself.

District Hospital Development

The district hospital should be elevated to a Medical College Hospital or Super Speciality hospital status. In most of the emergency cases during accidents, it is referred to Trivandrum Medical college which is 71 KMs away. More central funds should be utilized for this and the repair of modern equipments in the hospital.

 

[Reghu]

^^ - That's an old turn table there. I guess not too many people know about railway turn-tables.

There is one at Trivandrum Central too, I think. Sadly these engineering marvels are not being preserved. hno:

Great to see that the MEMU work is in progress. I am sure the primary traffic will be on the Trivandrum - Kollam stretch, given how many commuters in this route commute daily to and from their jobs in Trivandrum.

Trivandrum Central will soon get dedicated MEMU platforms, along with its new world-class Terminal Building. Kerala's busiest station is getting set to become even busier with the MEMUs, which should skim a lot of traffic from the buses.

I think Trivandrum will have stations at Kazhakkoottam (Technopark), Kochuveli (Airport), Pettah, Central and Nemom for the MEMUs. The city itself (forget the U/A) is over 35 Kms long in the north-south axis, stretching from Kazhakkoottam to Balaramapuram. This needs at least 6-7 stations.

Great going, Reghu. Keep up the updates. kay:

Thank you, Ajay for the motivation. It is sad that the engineering marvels are disappearing. The turn table is already removed from Kollam junction as it was used by the old meter gauge trains that are part of history as far as Kollam Junction is concerned.

The MEMU shed is coming up just adjacent to that location. Truly, the old meter guage side of Kollam Junction is going to get a new look once the MEMU shed and Kollam - Punalur BG conversion work is completed. This section will be the hub of MEMU base in Kollam. Just like in Trivandrum Central, dedicated platforms will come up at Kollam Junction for MEMU trains orginating from Kollam and go towards Trivandrum and Ernakulum side. SN College Junction, Eravipuram and Mayyanad will be the major MEMU stations within the city limits in the southern stretch as most of the commuters to Trivandrum board from these places.

In future MEMU trains may ply through the Kollam - Punalur stretch as well if electrification happens at this stretch.

The authorities have to make sure to provide better facilities at the stations like Eravipuram, Mayyanad and Paravur in Kollam district exclusively for MEMU.

 

[sudheeshnairs]

Turn table was there at Trivandrum Central, seems it got removed for the construction of the Second Terminal on the Power house Road.

BTW I do not think MEMU will start running towards Ernakulam. Kayamkulam-Ernakulam is still a bottle neck in both Alappuzha and Kottayam routes. Recently I travelled in the Ernakulam-Kottayam-Kayankulam route, saw atleast some works only in the Kayankulam-Mavelikkara sector.

And regarding MEMU shed also, didn't see any visible progress at Kollam jn.

And Reghu, while posting pics, give courtesy to photographers. I think the last photo you had posted about Bishop Jerome Nagar is taken by somebody else, I think I have seen it before as well as posted in Kollam thread.

^^ - That's an old turn table there. I guess not too many people know about railway turn-tables.

There is one at Trivandrum Central too, I think. Sadly these engineering marvels are not being preserved. hno:

 

[Reghu]

Turn table was there at Trivandrum Central, seems it got removed for the construction of the Second Terminal on the Power house Road.

BTW I do not think MEMU will start running towards Ernakulam. Kayamkulam-Ernakulam is still a bottle neck in both Alappuzha and Kottayam routes. Recently I travelled in the Ernakulam-Kottayam-Kayankulam route, saw atleast some works only in the Kayankulam-Mavelikkara sector.

And regarding MEMU shed also, didn't see any visible progress at Kollam jn.

And Reghu, while posting pics, give courtesy to photographers. I think the last photo you had posted about Bishop Jerome Nagar is taken by somebody else, I think I have seen it before as well as posted in Kollam thread.

Thank you Sudheesh bhai. I will give due credit for the photogrphers.

Regarding the MEMU progress, it is correct that there is no significant visibitity. 2 crores of ground works have already been completed out of the 7.5 crores alloted. The visibility is not felt as the MEMU shed work has not yet started except the ground work.

The new MPs have to exert pressure for the expedition of the work progress.

The work shop is coming up at the back side of the Kollam Railway Reservation office. It has 210 metres length and 14 metres width.

Apart from the MEMU workshop, a Service Building, Pit Wheel Laith for wheel repair are to come up shortly.

The sketch for the new development program will be sent from the Chennai head quarters shortly. More fund will be allocated based on the program and the construction work will be charted out depending on that.

I do not think that this railway project will be scrapped in any case as it is the most economical railway system for Kerala in the present scenario. The only hindrance may be dedicated lines for the MEMU.

 

[BabuCS]

The MEMU work shop is coming up at this location (an old Snap as the work has already started). The building seen is the Reservation centre.

Reghu, it is better to avoid pictures like this where the faces are clearly visible. We could end up in trouble, epecially when girls are involved!!

 

[Reghu]

Reghu, it is better to avoid pictures like this where the faces are clearly visible. We could end up in trouble, epecially when girls are involved!!

You are right. That snap was taken from the train while it was moving. I did not get enough time to take snaps especially from the vacant spaces. I will be careful in future. Thank you, Babu.

 

[Reghu]

Southern Zone NH Chief General Manager Visit : New projects for NH - 208 and MC Road developments

The NH Cheief General Mananger of the Sothern Zone Mr R K Singh visited the Kollam - Kottarakkara stretch of the NH - 208 and the MC road portion of Kottarakkara. He said new projects for the development of both these roads will be taken. He will submit the development projects to the NH Authority shortly.

 

[Reghu]

Kollam - Punalur BG conversion delay: Passengers association protest march tomorrow (April 30th, 2009)

The railway passengers association has announced a protest march to Punalur Railway station tomorrow (April 30th, 2009) in protest to the delay in the work progress of Kollam - Punalur braud gauge conversion.

The trains have stopped service along the Kollam - Punalur stretch for almost 3 years now. The lack of trains have hit the trade and commerce of the district as well as the commutation of thousands of students and office goers.

The remaining 10 percent of the work is taking more time without any reasons. The inaugration was supposed to happen in March 2009.