NEW DELHI: Pointing to the “delay”in land acquisition holding up execution of four critical projects in Kerala, railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday urged chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan to expedite the process. So far less than 15% of the land has been acquired despite the Centre making a payment of over Rs 2,100 crore to the state for this purpose.
The four projects are doubling of Thiruvananthapuram-Kanyakumari, Ernakulam-Kumbalam and Kumbalam-Turavur, and a new line from Angamali to Sabarimala. Vaishnaw, in a letter addressed to Vijayan, said that railway projects worth Rs 12,350 crore are in progress in the state.
“However, most of the railway projects in Kerala are not progressing due to non availability of requisite land. Railways had initiated efforts for acquisition of land for most of the sanctioned projects but could not succeed in acquiring land,” Vaishnaw wrote. He added that against the required 470 hectares for these projects, only 64 hectares has been acquired so far.
The minister wrote, “Support of the Govt of Kerala is essentially required in the matter.” He urged the CM to issue instructions for expediting land acquisition.
The Kerala govt has been blaming the railway ministry for slow down in project execution and also not clearing its flagship Silver Line project in the state.
Meanwhile, in a written reply in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, Vaishnaw said there are “many deficiencies in the DPR (detailed project report)” of the Silver Line from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod, which has been identified by Kerala Rail Development Corporation Ltd (KRDCL), a joint venture company of Kerala govt (51%) and railway ministry (49%).
“KRDCL has been advised by Southern Railway to address those deficiencies and prepare revised DPR as per the latest technical standards such as adoption of broad gauge, integration with existing Indian Railways network at suitable points, flatter ruling gradient, speed potential of 160 kpmh, provision of KAVACH, electrification with 2×25 kv, proper drainage scheme for yards and sections, addressing environmental concerns during construction and operation,” the reply mentioned.
The project has not been sanctioned yet.
Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw writes to CM Pinarayi Vijayan, says delay in land acquisition holding up 4 rail projects in Kerala | India News
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