First rail route through Idukki; Sabari getting closer to reality

The cabinet meeting decided to bear half the cost of the Sabari Rail project and provide Rs 1900 crore through KIIFB. It is better late than never. However, if this enlightenment had struck the government when it assumed office for the second time in 2021, then the rail line would have been a reality by now. The delay in the Angamaly-Erumeli Sabari Rail project has yet again proved how a project can be indefinitely stalled if the state backs out of its responsibility and instead resorts to political manoeuvring by blaming the central government. At the end of the day, nobody benefits.

The government has instructed the revenue authorities to start the land acquisition process for the project. The cabinet also decided to inform the Union Railway Ministry about this.

The three-decade-long wait for the Sabari line is thus slowly showing signs of getting closer to reality. Now, using the amount allocated by the government, 303.58 hectares of land will be acquired in Ernakulam, Idukki and Kottayam districts. With that, the railways will be able to start construction. The land acquisition will cost Rs 1361 crore, and the construction will cost Rs 2439.93 crore. Many lobbies have played a role in the delay of the Sabari Line, which was announced in the Railway Budget for 1997-98. Other states do not allow changes in government and political parties in power to affect development activities. However, due to the excessive and blind influence of politics, development projects in Kerala have not progressed for years.

Old habits die hard in Kerala, but this trend is finally showing signs of change. The fact that those who opposed Vizhinjam at first ended up inaugurating the port and even continue to gloat about it as a miraculous achievement tells more than the story of the changing view of developmental politics in the state. It is all up to the next government of Kerala to ensure that the Sabari project sails plain smooth and does not face any hurdles. Most of the land will have to be acquired from the Idukki and Kottayam districts for the Sabari route. It is 32 years after the Thrissur-Guruvayur rail line opened in 1994 that permission is being given to implement a new railway project for travel purposes in Kerala.

Apart from attracting more devotees to Sabarimala, including from North India, the Sabari route will also give a boost to the overall development of the eastern hilly regions. It will also become the first rail route to pass through the Idukki district. With the addition of the Guruvayur-Thirunavaya project (36 km), Kerala will get a total of 146 km of track. Now, the collectors of the respective districts should complete the land acquisition as soon as possible. Along with this, or more importantly, Kerala needs a high-speed rail line. The Centre has announced its support for the project being prepared by Metroman E. Sreedharan.