By Express News Service KOCHI: The potential of the Cochin Harbour Terminus and the Old Railway Station is great when it comes to operating train services. But, lack of initiative, both on the part of the people’s representatives and the authorities concerned, is becoming a big hurdle in the development of these railway stations. Coming out strongly against the apathy shown by people’s representatives and also Kochi Corporation towards the development of Old Railway Station, the Ernakulam Old Railway Station Vikasana Samithi said mere words or assurances won’t suffice any more. “Until now, the mantra was ‘let the track renovation works be over’. Well, that is over, but no steps are being taken to get the approval of the Railways to construct the buildings needed for the station to become operational,” said K P Hariharakumar, convenor, Ernakulam Old Railway Station Vikasana Samithi. According to him, the Railways has been mocking the people of Kochi for quite some time. “After a long fight, the Railways had started a DEMU train service from Ernakulam Junction to Cochin Harbour Terminus. But, the service got stopped after a mere eight days! The reasons given by the railways were flimsy and so were the halting stations fixed by it,” he said. According to him, the problem of electrification can be set aside for now and the Railways can run diesel trains from the Harbour Terminus.“In the case of the Old Railway Station, the lack of enthusiasm on the part of the Corporation in rehabilitating the 21 families, who have encroached on the railway property, is proving to be the hurdle and the excuse being made by the Railways,” he said. According to him, the Mayor has turned a deaf ear to their pleas and demands. “Both railway stations have a huge potential and can help ease traffic at Ernakulam Junction,” he said. According to him, if train services are started in a planned manner, both the stations will prove to be economical for the railways. “We hope the railways will start the already sanctioned Ernakulam-Rameshwaram and other passenger services as soon as possible from Harbour Terminus,” he said. The Samithi is planning to meet the Union Railway Minister in this regard. However, Mayor Soumini Jain denied any apathy in implementing the rehabilitation programme.

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