THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A long-standing dream of Keralites is set to become a resounding reality soon with the Union Government giving the green signal for the Sabari rail project.
According to Kerala’s Railway Minister V Abdurahiman, all hurdles in the way of the 111-km-long Angamaly-Erumeli Sabari project, which was sanctioned in 1997-98, have been removed.
The news is music to the ears of 5,510 families living on the 70-km stretch of the rail project. They are relieved because they had been barred from carrying out any kind of land transactions after their properties were surveyed and survey stones installed.
The modalities of the project associated with cost-sharing and other issues were sorted out during the meeting Kerala Chief Minister had with Union Railway Minister Ashwani Vishnaw and Railway Board officials.
It may be mentioned that the State Government had sought a loan from the Centre for the project. But when it was told the amount would be included in its borrowing limit, the State government said no, and sought a separate loan.
Abdurahiman said the issue has been resolved with the State Government deciding to shoulder the entirety of its share. However, he admitted that the high cost of land was a big issue in Kerala. In any other state, the total amount required to acquire land for the project would have been just 15% of the state’s share. In Kerala, it is more than 30%, he added. The funds would be provided by the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board(KIIFB).
Reports say that the social impact study for the project has been carried out in 58 km of the total stretch, till Thodupuzha.. As for the remaining stretch, only satellite survey has been conducted.
Besides passengers, industries located in Ernakulam, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta and Idukki will be able to move their products via the train, leading to huge savings. Also, the state government has presented a project which will result in Sabari rail getting connected to Vizhinjam via Punalur in Pathanamthitta through Nedumangad.
The total length of the rail line will be 111 km, and the total cost Rs 3801 crore. There will be 14 stations: Angamaly Junction (existing railway station), Kalady (station constructed), Perumbavoor, Odakkali, Kothamangalam, Muvattupuzha Vazhakulam, Thodupuzha, Karimkunnam, Ramapuram, Bharananganam, Chemmalamattam, Kanjirappally Road and Erumeli.
When the project becomes a reality, it will be a big boost to Kerala. It will hugely benefit lakhs and lakhs of pilgrims to Sabarimala besides providing an impetus to the growth of Erumeli and surrounding areas.
In another good news to the railway passengers in Kerala which would further speed up railway development in the state, the state will soon have third and fourth railway lines parallel to the existing double lines.
Union Railway Minister Ashwani Vaishnaw posted on X, after his meeting with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan recently, that the ministry is working on 3rd and 4th line from North to South Kerala, so that both passengers and cargo can move by rail.
According to the Minister, construction of new Railway Over Bridges and under bridges also figured in the meeting. The Minister also claimed that Kerala’s railway budget has gone up from Rs 372 crore to Rs 3,042 crore in the current financial year of 2025-26.
In another development, the State has asked the Union Government to look into Metro Man E. Sreedharan’s alternative proposal to Kerala’s pet project, SilverLine. This is because the Union Government has not shown any enthusiasm for SilverLine, a semi high-speed rail corridor. The Railway Ministry had clearly told Kerala that SilverLine, put forth by K-Rail Corporation, cannot be approved due to technical and ecological reasons. Hence Sreedharan’s alternative proposal. Although Sreedharan proposal had been submitted to the Centre last February, the latter has not studied it in detail. A final decision will be taken soon, the Minister hinted.
On his part, Sreedharan said he had not received any received any official communication from the Centre regarding his proposal. The State, he claimed, favoured his proposal as the Union Government has not given clearance for the SilverLine proposal. (IPA Service)
