Our Company is the Prime News Network. The State and the Centre have decided to implement the Sabari rail project, aiming to bring the Sabarimala temple onto the country’s rail map. The decision was made during a meeting with Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in New Delhi on Tuesday.
An expert committee is being sent to Kerala in July to address land acquisition issues and recommence the project. However, it’s unclear how the cost-sharing issue, which was a contentious topic between the Centre and Kerala, will be resolved. Previously, the Centre insisted that Kerala should shoulder 50% of the revised estimate of ₹3,810.69 crore, while Kerala sought exemption from the State’s borrowing limit. The centre suggested a tripartite agreement involving the State government, Railways, and the RBI for project financing.
Kerala requested KIIFB financing for the project, but the State is expected to provide KIIFB financing. The 110-km Angamaly-Erumeli route, first announced in the 1997-98 Railway Budget, had land acquisition done in 8 km, while the 7-km stretch between Angamaly and Kalady was completed earlier.
Recently, the Southern Railway said only ₹20 crore could divert from the ₹142.70 crore sanctioned for the Sabari rail project in the last Budget, indicating the revival of the project. Kerala is also seeking approval for the SilverLine semi-high-speed rail project. Although the Union Minister didn’t give an assurance, he can consider the alternative proposal submitted by technocrat E. Sreedharan.
The Centre is likely to convey its stance on the project to the State after a meeting with Mr. Sreedharan. The State also reiterated its demand for a third and fourth line to decongest the existing network and speed up trains. Additionally, the meeting brought the issue of poor-quality food on the Vande Bharat train in Kerala to the center’s attention.
