The earlier contractor only finished 30% of the reconstruction work at Ernakulam Town
Southern Railway is moving forward with awarding the new contract, with a completion period of 20 months, after a single firm cleared the bidding process. Kochi : After months of delay and uncertainty, the stalled redevelopment work at Ernakulam Town railway station is set to resume.
The new tender, issued on an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) basis for the remaining scope, carries an estimated value of Rs 156.43 crore. Project progress: Only 30% of the reconstruction work at Ernakulam Town is complete. The progress achieved so far includes the structural framework for segment-1 of the west terminal building, construction of the multi-level car parking facility (final stage) and the foundation for the foot overbridge.
“Before major new structural work can begin, railway offices must be relocated into the west terminal building, which is nearing completion. Once cleared, the old station building will be dismantled to pave the way for the modern terminal structure,” the official added.
The earlier contractor, Chennai-based RANK Projects and Development Pvt Ltd, was terminated in June for slow work progress.
The prolonged delay has pushed the project’s completion deadline to Dec 2028. If everything goes as planned, the work can be restarted by Jan 2027,” a senior railway official (construction) said. Ernakulam Town and Junction are among 35 stations in Kerala and 1,340 nationwide selected for comprehensive modernisation under the central govt’s flagship Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.
You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Kochi | Silver Rate in Kochi | Bank Holidays in Kochi | Public Holidays in Kochi Stay updated with the latest Kochi news.
“Since it remains an open tender process, the said firm can be awarded the work. Passengers will need to endure construction-related inconveniences for considerably longer than originally planned. The contract is expected to be awarded to Erode-based Sri Venkitachalapathy Constructions Pvt Ltd, the only eligible bidder remaining on the final tender list. The firm is handling the ongoing redevelopment of Ernakulam Junction railway station, where work has been progressing rapidly. A special tender committee will evaluate the offer to ensure rate reasonableness, technical capacity and overall value for money before formally issuing the contract. The process is expected to take another couple of months. As the contractor operates heavy machinery and a concrete mixing plant at Ernakulam Junction site, mobilising equipment and resuming operations at Town station can happen quickly. The modernised Town station will offer upgraded passenger amenities, including feeder/nursing rooms, a child helpline centre, health facilitation facilities, upgraded security and modern rest stations. Planners have designed skywalks linking the station to Ernakulam North Road overbridge, providing direct, seamless access to local bus stops and Town Hall Metro station. Download the TOI App.