Sabarimala Railway in limbo again; Kerala says land acquisition can be completed only after order freezing project is withdrawn

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala has taken the stand that land acquisition will begin only if the 2019 Railway order freezing the Sabarimala railway project is withdrawn.

The Chief Secretary and Transport Secretary have recommended to the government that land acquisition should be done after the Railways issues an order to withdraw the freeze. It is learnt that the Chief Minister's office has the same position. Railway Board Executive Director Vivek Kumar had written to the Chief Secretary stating that the freeze order will be withdrawn and construction will begin immediately if the land is acquired using the state's share. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had earlier clarified in Parliament that the freeze will be lifted.

The Railways has made it mandatory to acquire land in advance due to the obstacles in land acquisition and the cases regarding the alignment. The cost for this will be considered as the state share in the project. The Railways' stance is that construction will start only after the entire land from Angamaly to Erumeli is acquired.

Kerala will have to spend about Rs 1400 crore to acquire about 416 hectares of land in Kottayam, Ernakulam and Idukki districts. 24.4 hectares of 152 hectares of land have already been acquired in Ernakulam. The entire land in Idukki and the land to be acquired in 2 villages in Kottayam have been marked by laying stones. Although the government had earlier planned to reopen the special tehsildar offices for land acquisition and redeploy employees, the current challenge is that officials are opposing it, citing legal and technical issues.

Land acquisition so far

• A social impact study has been completed for land acquisition in the 58 km section of Angamaly-Thodupuzha. The cost is Rs. 600 crore
• Public hearing has also been completed in the 10 km section of Kalady-Perumbavoor, but the landowners have not been paid the price
• A social impact study should be conducted in the 12 km section of Thodupuzha-Ramapuram. Survey and study should be conducted in the remaining areas