Kollam MEMU Shed is an ISO certified motive power depot facility for maintaining MEMU rakes, situated in the city of Kollam in the Indian state of Kerala. It is one of the four MEMU rake maintenance sheds serving the Southern Railway zone of the Indian Railways.[1] Kollam MEMU Shed is functioning as the control and coordination center of MEMU trains running through Kerala state.[2]

Kollam MEMU Shed
Location
LocationKollam Junction railway station, India
Coordinates8°53′10″N 76°35′50″E / 8.886068°N 76.597297°E / 8.886068; 76.597297
Characteristics
OwnerIndian Railways
OperatorSouthern Railway zone
Depot codeQLN
TypeElectric multiple unit
Rolling stockMEMU
Routes servedQLNTooltip Kollam JunctionALLPTooltip Alappuzha railway stationERSTooltip Ernakulam Junction141.4 km
QLNTooltip Kollam JunctionKTYMTooltip Kottayam railway stationERSTooltip Ernakulam Junction155.6 km
QLNTooltip Kollam JunctionCAPETooltip Kanyakumari railway station151.1 km
QLNTooltip Kollam JunctionPUUTooltip Punalur railway station44 km
History
Opened1 December 2013
(10 years ago)
 (2013-12-01)

History

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An evening view of Kollam MEMU Shed and railway station
 
MEMU Car Shed and Office in Kollam Junction railway station premises

MEMU sheds in Kollam and Palakkad were proposed in 2008's Indian Railway Budget. The first announced MEMU shed for Kerala was in Kollam, but the inauguration of this shed was delayed for more than two years due to clearance issues and negligence of Indian Railways.[3] Palakkad MEMU shed inaugurated on 1 January 2011.[4] The Kollam MEMU shed was formally commissioned on 1 December 2013, five years after its completion.[5] In the second half of 2019, the Southern Railway started replacing the traditional rakes with High-speed, three-phase MEMU trains running on Kollam routes.[6] As the first step, a three-phase MEMU train with 8 coaches started service on Kollam Junction-Ernakulam Junction-Kollam Junction route from September 2, 2019.[7]

Operations

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The MEMU Carshed in Kollam currently conducts periodic overhauling activities for two different types of rakes manufactured by ICF, Chennai:

  • Generation I rakes
  • 3-phase 8 coach rake (Total capacity: 2,402 passengers)[8]

Presently, 9 pairs of MEMU services are operated from/to Kollam Junction. The maintenance works of those rakes are regularly being done in Kollam MEMU shed.

Train Number Train Name Schedule
66301/66302 Punalur - Kollam MEMU Daily
66303/66304 Kollam - Ernakulam Junction MEMU (Via Alappuzha) Daily except Mondays
66305/66306 Kanyakumari - Kollam MEMU (Via Trivandrum) Daily except Fridays
66307/66308 Ernakulam Junction - Kollam MEMU (via Kottayam) Daily except Wednesdays
66309/66310 Kollam - Ernakulam Junction MEMU (Via Alappuzha) Daily except Tuesdays
66311/66312 Alappuzha - Kollam MEMU Daily
66315/66316 Kottayam - Kollam MEMU Daily
66317/66318 Punalur - Kollam MEMU Daily
66321/66322 Ernakulam Junction - Kollam MEMU (via Kottayam) Daily
16309/16310 Ernakulam Junction - Kayamkulam MEMU Express (via Kottayam) Daily

See also

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References

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  1. ^ MEMU Maintenance Work Begins in Kollam Kollam MEMU Shed
  2. ^ "MEMU to be extended to Malabar; Passenger trains to be replaced with MEMU". english.mathrubhumi.com. 28 October 2019. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  3. ^ Rs.74-crore MEMU shed project awaits nod
  4. ^ More Memu sheds sought in Railway Budget
  5. ^ MEMU Maintenance Work Begins in Kollam Kollam MEMU Shed
  6. ^ "Kochi: 'Faster' 3-phase MEMU deployed". Deccan Chronicle. 4 September 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  7. ^ "3-phase MEMU introduced in State". TheHindu.com. 3 September 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  8. ^ "High-speed, three-phase MEMU begins service". english.manoramaonline.com. 3 September 2019. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
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