The over enthusiasm by a section of people in Kerala to force the Centre to go ahead with the Angamali-Sabari Railway Line has baffled experts in rail travel and security agencies. It is expected that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to make important announcements about rail projects to be implemented in the State.
The route to Sabarimala is to facilitate the pilgrimage to the holy shrine of Lord Ayyappa, situated in the deep forests of the Western Ghats in Pathanamthitta district. “The Sabarimala Temple remains opened for just three months in a year and we have to give a serious thought to the demand for an exclusive rail line. What Kerala needs right now is high speed trains connecting Kasaragod in the north with Thiruvananthapuram in the south,†said Aloke Kumar Verma, former chief engineer, Indian Railways. According to Verma, Kerala should give top priority to bring down the travel time between Kasaragod and Thiruvananthapuram and ply more trains in this stretch by making slight changes in the existing alignments. John Peruvananthanam, of save Western Ghats Movement tells that a cartel of contractors, land sharks and politicians are behind the mission to get the sabari Rail going “Right now, we are facing with wild animals leaving forests areas and trespassing into human settlements thereby increasing the number of human-animal clashes.
This is a railway line which the state can do away with,†said John. The Elephant Peak in the Western Ghats is a haven for cannabis growers in the districts of Idukki, Kottayam and Theni.
The trains would help the cultivators to shift the consignment to Kochi, according to B V Kumar, former director general of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence who has led team of narcotic experts to destroy cannabi farms in the forests. “The rail route through the ecologically sensitive area is a ploy to divert the attention of the agencies meant to prevent narcotics smuggling,†Kumar told The Pioneer. Former Chairman of Delhi Metro and Konkan Rail, E Sreedharan has also expressed his reservation about the demand for the Angamali-Sabari Railway Line project.
“First we have to find out whether such a rail line would have the required number of passengers to keep the cash register ticking. I am sure pilgrims to sabarimala prefer journey by road because they could offer worship in temples along the route,†said Sreedharan.
