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A meeting chaired by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday decided to implement the Sabari Rail Project in two phases with an expanded approach. The state government will request the Central Government for approval, stated a release issued by the Chief Minister's Office.
In the first phase, the Angamaly-Erumeli-Nilakkal line will be completed. The government's decision to have KIIFB (Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board) bear 50 per cent of the construction cost remains unchanged. The state government will urge the Central Government to exclude this amount from the borrowing limit. The state government will maintain its stance that there is no need for a tripartite agreement with the RBI. For now, the project will proceed as a single line, with the Chief Minister indicating that doubling the line could be considered during the development phase. The 110-km-long Sabari railway line from Angamaly to Erumeli was first proposed in the Railway Budget of 1997-98. Land acquisition for approximately 8 km has been completed, and construction of the 7-km stretch between Angamaly and Kalady was completed earlier. The section's plan included the construction of two flyovers and two underpasses. However, land acquisition notifications have now been issued for the next 70 km. A letter from the Railways dated 26.09.2019 informed the state government that the project had been frozen, leading to a halt in further construction activities, including the flyovers. The Railways has demanded that the state government bear 50 per cent of the cost of the Angamaly-Sabari project. Although the project initially began with full funding from the Railways, on 07.01.2021, the Kerala Government conveyed to the Central Government its readiness to bear 50 per cent of the project cost, then estimated at Rs 2,815 crore, through KIIFB. However, the revised estimate has now increased to Rs 3,800.93 crore. Despite the state government's confirmation of its willingness to share 50 per cent of the revised cost as per the Railway Board's demand, the project has not yet been revived. The Chief Minister stated that the expansion of the Sabari Rail Project would provide a significant boost to Kerala's development. He further suggested that the project could be extended in the future to connect Vizhinjam, offering an alternative to the Chengannur-Pamba project currently under consideration by the Central Government. (ANI)
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