Sabari rail line to become reality, will boost development pace; Railway expert team will arrive next month

NEW DELHI: The much-anticipated Angamaly–Sabari rail line, a long-pending demand of Kerala, will soon become a reality. The assurance came during a meeting between a delegation led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. A team of railway experts will arrive within days to assess matters related to land acquisition. The remaining land acquisition procedures are expected to begin in July. The project had earlier come to a standstill after 7 kilometres of rail and one bridge were constructed on the 111 km-long line.

Minister V. Abdurahiman, who was part of the delegation, stated that the uncertainty faced by hundreds of families due to land acquisition issues would be resolved. Kerala's Delhi representative, Prof. K.V. Thomas, also attended the meeting.

Three to four rail lines connecting the northern and southern parts of the state are likely to come up. These possibilities were also discussed during the meeting at the Rail Bhavan in Delhi. There are indications that the Union government is not interested in the semi-high-speed rail project proposed as an alternative to the SilverLine.

The Sabarimala rail line is expected to benefit the people of Ernakulam, Idukki, Kottayam, and Pathanamthitta districts. Although the line currently stretches from Angamaly to Erumeli, the state has proposed its extension to Vizhinjam via Punalur. This extension would aid in utilising the potential of the Vizhinjam port and contribute to the development of central Kerala. Logistic hubs and sectors related to the economy, trade, agriculture, and commerce can be developed along the route. The government also plans to acquire 10,000 acres of private land for port-related industries.

The line will benefit many areas, including:

Perumbavoor and Kalady, known for their timber and rice mills

Vazhakulam, the "Pineapple City"

Spices Park in Thodupuzha

Munnar, Bhoothathankettu, Ilaveezhapoonchira, Vagamon, Kuttikkanam, and Thekkady – all major tourism destinations

The proposed Sabarimala airport will be just 8 km away from Erumeli.

Frozen order must be revoked; 392 hectares need to be acquired

• The order issued by the Railway Ministry in September 2019, freezing the project, must be revoked.
• All the land in Idukki and the required land in two villages of Kottayam have been demarcated with boundary stones.
• In Ernakulam, social impact assessments need to be completed to acquire the demarcated land.
• So far, 24 hectares have been acquired; 392 hectares remain. Fourteen stations are planned.

Vizhinjam as a cargo corridor

1. Once cargo movement from Vizhinjam port reaches full scale, the MC Road will face heavy congestion. The parallel Thiruvananthapuram–Angamaly greenfield route will not suffice for cargo transport. Extending the Sabarimala railway to Vizhinjam can support a cargo-only line.
2. The Union government has the "Rail Sagarmala" project aimed at developing port-rail connectivity. The plan includes constructing 2,100 km of new railway tracks. This initiative aims to serve as a logistics corridor to ports. There will be no financial burden on the state.

Rs 3801 crore – Total estimated construction cost of the Sabari rail line

Rs 1900 crore – State government’s share

Rs 4800 crore – Estimated cost for extending the line to Vizhinjam

“The Sabarimala rail line can be developed in the future as a project that connects to Vizhinjam.”
— Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister