The proposed Rapid Rail Transit System (RRTS) from Thiruvananthapuram to Chengannur has been mooted to enhance the mobility requirement in the region.
The existing system on this 125.65 kilometer (km) double line railway stretch has 25 kv AC Traction, Broad Gauge and Multi Aspect Colour Light Signaling (MACLS).
As per the feasibility report of the project, the daily average expense for journeys in the RRTS will be INR 87.77 compared to INR 60.54 by bus and Rs 237.91 by car. The minimum fare recommended is INR 10 with a price range of INR 0.80 to INR 2 per kilometre. The RRTS has been mooted to enhance mobility requirement in view of traffic congestion on the national highways, limited scope of road widening, high incidence of road casualties and inability to introduce additional train services with the existing infrastructure.
The survey conducted as part of the feasibility study showed that Thiruvananthapuram has a daily boarding of 43,472 passengers and daily alighting of 43,122 with Kollam 17,069 and 16,017 and Chengannur 2626 and 2210. The commuter profile includes students, government employees, Technopark professionals and daily wage labourers.
The proposed signaling system for the project is Automatic Block Signaling (ABS) with Train Protection and Warning System for enhanced safety. RRTS will have the railway line divided into series of sections or blocks of one km and the average speed would be 57 km per hour.
The models through which the project is proposed to be implemented include existing Railway PSU, formation of joint SPV between the State Government and Indian Railways and implementation by Indian Railway through Southern Railway.