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The long-pending doubling of Kerala's coastal railway line between Ernakulam and Kayamkulam is finally moving ahead, with the Centre approving the last remaining single-line stretch between Alappuzha and Mararikulam. This section is 10.65 km long and is the final bottleneck on the route. Once this work is completed, the entire coastline will become double-tracked, which is expected to bring major benefits for both passengers and freight movement in the state.
Kerala's Coastal Railway Project
The railway line through Alappuzha is important because it is around 17 km shorter than the inland route via Kottayam. At present, trains on this route often face delays because they have to wait for crossings on the single-line section. In many cases, trains are forced to run at an average speed of only about 40 kmph. The doubling of the remaining stretch is expected to remove these delays and improve train movement on the route.
Kerala Railway Doubling Project
According to the report, the completed doubling project could pave the way for up to nine new daily train services on Kerala's coastal railway corridor. This would improve connectivity for passengers travelling along the coastal belt, especially to and from Thiruvananthapuram. Since the route is shorter, passengers are also likely to benefit from reduced travel time once operations become smoother.
The infrastructure upgrade is also expected to strengthen freight operations. The report says the double line could help carry an additional 28.8 lakh tonnes of cargo every year. This would improve the capacity of the railway network and support trade and transport in the region.
The Mararikulam-Alappuzha doubling project has been approved at a cost of about ₹220.51 crore. Railway officials have identified it as an important capacity expansion work under Indian Railways' larger network development plans. The target is to complete the work by December 2027. Once finished, the project is expected to make rail travel along Kerala's coastal route faster, smoother, and more efficient.