55 Kerala Road Overbridges to be Fully Funded by Southern Railway.

Southern Railway has announced that it will fully fund the construction of road overbridges (ROBs) at 55 level crossings across Kerala. This decision comes as the Kerala government has been unable to provide its mandated 50 per cent share of the construction costs. Typically, the cost of eliminating level crossings through ROBs is shared equally between the railways and the respective state governments.

The construction of these 55 ROBs had been significantly delayed due to the state government's inability to contribute its share of the funding. In a statement, Southern Railway highlighted that this novel initiative, which waives the mandatory 50 per cent funding requirement from the Kerala government, was undertaken to prioritize safety and accelerate the execution of these critical projects.

These ROBs are designated as critical infrastructure projects and their execution will be handled by the Kerala Road Development Corporation Ltd (KRDCL). The list of level crossings slated for these ROBs includes several busy locations, such as two between Pudukad and Irinjalakuda stations, and one each between Edapally and Ernakulam North, Kappil and Varkala Sivagiri, Vallathol Nagar and Wadakkanchery, Kadakkavur and Murukkampuzha, and Thalassery and Etakkot stations, as well as one near Lakidi railway station in Palakkad.

Southern Railway's statement further noted, "Out of the 55 ROBs identified for 100 per cent funding by railway so far, the state govt was able to finalise the plans and process land acquisition only on 18, which were promptly re-sanctioned by railway with 100 per cent funding." The railway has already transferred funds amounting to ₹95 crore to the state to cover the land acquisition costs for these 18 projects. KRDCL is expected to complete these 18 ROBs within 18 months.

However, the plan approval and land acquisition processes for the remaining 37 ROBs, also agreed for 100 per cent funding by the railway, are still pending from the state government. These include level crossings located between Vallathol Nagar and Wadakancherry, Angamaly and Aluva, Thalassery and Mahe, Poonkunam and Thrissur, Irinjalakuda and Chalakudy, Angadipuram and Vaniyambalam, Turavur and Cherthala, and Ambalapuzha and Haripad stations.

In addition to these 55 ROBs, there are another 65 sanctioned ROBs at busy level crossings that have also been held up for several years, either due to the state government's lack of funds or delays in plan approval and land acquisition.