The Kerala Government’s decision on Wednesday to meet half the project cost of Rs 2,815 crore in the construction of Angamali- Erumeli Sabari Rail Route has stirred up a hornet’s nest in the region through which the track is to be laid. Thousands of residents staying along the route of the proposed track would lose their dwelling places and fertile farms once the Indian Railways resume the land acquiring process. What is disturbing the Railway authorities in Kerala is that the majority of the people who would be displaced because of the project belong to the minority communities.
The Pinarayi Vijayan-led Kerala Government on Wednesday had declared that it would meet half the cost of Rs 2,815 crore required for the 111 km long railway line from Angamali to Erumeli to faciliate pilgrimage to the holy shrine of Sabarimala.
The legendary Dr E Sreedharan, India’s Metro Man, sounded caution about the Sabari Rail project. The Kerala Government has suddenly raked up this project only to get political gains for the next election. This railway line will be of no use to Kerala or to the Sabarimala pilgrims. On the other hand, it will dislocate many people and cause severe environmental damage to the green, beautiful hill ranges.” Dr Sreedharan told The Pioneer on Thursday.
He said that automatic signalling can be introduced on the Trivandrum-Mangalore section and the line capacity increased to run many commuted trains at half the cost meant for the project. “This will reduce the road congestion and road accidents,” said Dr Sreedharan.
He said the lop-sided policies of the Kerala Government has resulted in the stagnation of growth in the State. “A more urgent railway link is the extension of Trissur-Guruvayoor line to Thirunavaya, (a project sanctioned about 14 years back) which will reduce the running time of trains between Ernakulam and Kozhikode by at least one hour and the severe congestion at Shornur junction too will be avoided,” he said.
There is widespread complaint against the Centre and Indian Railways for using high handed measures like threats and coercion to acquire land for the seven kilometre stretch which has been built as part of the project. “This is a move to displace the population belonging to the minority communities from places like Perumbavoor, Kothamangalam up to Erumeli. The question where we would go from the places where we have been living for decades remains unanswered. The Kerala Government had expressed its helplessness in acquiring land for the construction of National Highway in North Kerala and the Centre was forced to shelve its plan to build a six-lane track,” said P M Basheer, former councillor of Perumbavoor Municipal Council.
Though the decision to part finance the project has been taken by the Pinarayi Vijayan Government, legal experts are of the view that land acquisition process would not be easy. “The Modi Government itself has amended the land acquisition laws and the Railways would find the process tough. The question is whether it is worthwhile for Governments of India and Kerala to squander public money on a white elephant,” said a Kerala High Court lawyer.
