Current Status Of Angamali-Sabarimala Railway Line - What Railway Ministry Says
In response to a question raised on Lok Sabha concerning Angamali-Sabarimala Railway line, Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that further works are stalled owing to local protests and inadequate support from the Kerala government. The proposed Angamali-Sabarimala railway project authorised in 1997-98.
Though work on Angamali-Kaladi (7 Km) and long lead works on Kaladi-Perumbavoor (10 Km) was taken up for the said railway line project, further works could not proceed “due to protests by local people against land acquisition and fixing of alignment of the line, court cases filed against the project and inadequate support from the State Government of Kerala,” the Minister said.
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Last December, Ministry expressed to Kerala Government over its willing to share the cost of the railway line project, but no communications have received so far. The Kerala Rail Development Corporation Ltd. (KRDCL) updated the estimate of the project as Rs. 3726.95 crore, and the Central government has accepted the estimate as well.
“Meanwhile on public demand, a Detailed Project Report (DPR) of new alignment from Chengannur to Pamba, which is a shorter route for Sabarimala Shrine, has been taken up,” Minister stated.
Continuing further, Minister said that since 2014, there has been a substantial increase in the fund allocation equivalent to the commissioning of projects in Kerala. However, the project’s execution relied on expeditious land acquisition.
Railway gathers the land through State Government. After assessing the compensation amount, State Government advises it to Railway. Upon receiving demand from State Government, Minister said, Railway deposits compensation amount with concerned District Land acquisition Authority.
“Execution of important infrastructure projects falling fully/partly in the State of Kerala is held up due to delay in land acquisition and only about 62.83 Ha land has been acquired out of total requirement of about 459.54 Ha. Railway had initiated efforts for acquisition of land but could not succeed in acquiring land for projects though Railway has paid 2125.61 Crore to Government of Kerala for land acquisition,” Minister said.
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Therefore, Minister held that support of the Kerala government is needed to speed up the land acquisition.
Since the question also raised on conducting a feasibility study about the possibility of the Roll-on/ Roll-off service facility for the plywood industry of Perumbavoor, pineapple and spices of Thodupuzha and rubber of Kanjirapally through Angamali-Sabarimala route, Ministry responded that it would be examined once line is commissioned.
Minister also argued that there is no relation between Sabarimala Rail project and Vizhinjam International Seaport.
