Announcements are easy; implementation is hard! The reason for saying this now is that the Sabari Rail project has once again been stalled due to the dispute over sharing half of the project cost. Kerala Kaumudi had published a report yesterday highlighting this issue. The Angamaly–Erumeli Sabari Rail line was announced in the railway budget nearly three decades ago, during the tenure of Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee. Yet, even after all these years, the project remains tangled in delays. Out of the total 111‑km route, work on just seven kilometres, the construction of Kalady station, and a bridge across the Periyar River were completed, after which the project has remained stagnant for six years.

The proposed line passes through four districts — Ernakulam, Kottayam, Idukki, and Pathanamthitta — and the total estimated cost of the project is Rs 3,800.93 crore. Of this, the Railways will bear half the amount, and the remaining Rs 1,900.46 crore is to be borne by the state government. Kerala has proposed sourcing this share through KIIFB (Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board). However, the Centre maintains that funds raised via KIIFB will count toward Kerala’s overall borrowing limit. Kerala has long been requesting that this restriction be waived. During a recent meeting between a member of the Railway Board and the state Chief Secretary, both sides reiterated their positions. Railway Board member Rajesh Agarwal insisted that Kerala must provide a written assurance agreeing to bear half the cost. Chief Secretary Dr. A. Jayathilak, however, repeated Kerala’s demand to exempt KIIFB funds from the borrowing limit. In short, the deadlock continues.

There have also been suggestions to extend the Sabari Rail line from Erumeli to Punalur, which would benefit Kollam district as well. A new rail link from Vizhinjam to Punalur could bring Thiruvananthapuram into the network and potentially realise the dream of a direct freight corridor from Vizhinjam International Port to Tamil Nadu. This would benefit nearly half the state, yet the project remains stuck over the cost-sharing dispute — even after spending Rs 286 crore on initial construction. Union Railway Minister recently reaffirmed that the Sabari Rail project has not been abandoned and will be implemented soon, with an official order expected shortly.

The Railways insists that construction can begin only if the entire land for the project is handed over at once. Kerala, however, proposes a phased approach — acquiring land for the Angamaly–Ramapuram stretch first, and the Ramapuram–Erumeli stretch later. Both sides must show pragmatism and compromise to make this project a reality. The state must recognise the benefits and act accordingly, while the Centre should adopt a broader vision to ensure that development is not hindered by rigid conditions. This should not be delayed any further.