THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala has asked the Centre to announce a Rs 4800 crore project to extend Angamali-Erumeli Sabari railway to Vizhinjam port in the Union budget. The demand is to include it in the Rail Sagar project of the central government.

In a letter written to the chairman of the railway board, Chief Secretary Dr V Venu wrote that as the Vizhinjam Port is being commissioned soon, the roads will not be able to support the movement of containers and therefore a railway to the north is necessary.

"When a survey was conducted in 2013 to extend Sabari Rail from Erumeli to Thiruvananthapuram, it was found that the revenue would be low. Now the situation has changed. Travel time on MC Road has increased due to traffic congestion. The situation will become serious when the movement of goods from Vizhinjam port through MC road increases," the chief secretary wrote in the letter.

"The National Highways Authority is preparing a plan for Angamali - Thiruvananthapuram greenfield road parallel to MC Road. This road also cannot meet the needs of the port. It is enough to extend the Sabari rail line till Balaramapuram as a broad gauge line is being constructed from Balaramapuram to Vizhinjam port," he added.

The chief secretary also pointed out that the project is in line with the railway policy of railway connectivity in towns with a population of half a million.

• Erumeli - Balaramapuram rail line is 160 km
• Distance by road is 153 km.

Stations suggested by Kerala

1) Balaramapuram

2) Forest shop

3) Nedumangad

4)Venjaramood Road

5) Kilimanoor

6) Anchal

7) Punalur

8) Pathanapuram

9) Konni

10) Pathanamthitta

11) Perinadu Road

12) Athikkayam

13)Erumeli

Benefits

• Third railway corridor connecting the capital
• Freight movement from Vizhinjam to the north will be easy
• The current line is not enough for cargo movement
• Railway connectivity to Nedumangad

Rail Sagar

The project to build railways to ports was announced in the last Union Budget. 2100 km of railway will be constructed.