SilverLine project: How will you acquire land without conducting survey? HC asks govt

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Thursday asked the state government how it will acquire 955 hectares of land without conducting a survey for the SilverLine project. The court asked the question while considering a petition filed by landowners seeking cancellation of land acquisition proceedings. The court also asked how the details of the land to be acquired were obtained without conducting a proper survey. Four natives of Ettumanoor from Kottayam approached the court alleging that the state government's notification for land acquisition was illegal.

The petitioners pointed out that the state government could not acquire land for railway projects without central approval. According to the petition, the power to acquire land belongs to the central government. The petition also seeks immediate stay of the notification for land acquisition proceedings.