Lok Sabha Question No. 555 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-20
Subject: Angamaly-Sabari Railway Line
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Adoor Prakash, Dean Kuriakose

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 555 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.11.2019

## ANGAMALY-SABARI RAILWAY LINE

555.  ADV. ADOOR PRAKASH: ADV. DEAN KURIAKOSE:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  any  proposal  for  the  speedy completion of Angamaly-Sabari Rail project in Kerala and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the current status of the above Rail Project;
- (c) whether  the  Angamaly-Sabari  Rail  project  has  been  removed from  the  priority  list  of  Kerala  Rail  Development  Corporation Ltd.;
- (d) if so, the details thereof;
- (e) the  details  of  latest  revised  estimate  of  Sabari  Rail  project; and
- (f) the steps taken/proposed to be taken for timely completion of this project?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

(SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

- (a) to (f): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (f)  OF UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  555  BY  ADV.  ADOOR  PRAKASH  AND ADV.  DEAN  KURIAKOSE  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON 20.11.2019 REGARDING  ANGAMALY-SABARI RAILWAY LINE

(a) to (f): Angamali-Sabarimala new rail line (116 Km) was sanctioned in 1997-98 at a cost of ` 550 crore. The 5 km section of this  project  was  passing through Periyar Tiger Reserve Forest. On the  request  of  State  Government,  the  project  was  terminated  at Erumeli due to reserve forest area.

Alignment  of  the  project  passes  through  three  Districts  i.e. Ernakulam,  Idukki  and  Kottayam  districts.  Final  location  survey (FLS)  for  Angamali-Kaladi-Ramapuram  section  (70  Km)  has  been completed in 2002 and further survey in the Kottayam district was stopped by local people in 2007 due to objections on alignment.

To  resolve  the  issue,  State  Government  proposed  a  revised alignment from Ramapuram to Erumeli (41 km).  Revised alignment has been approved.

For  this  project,  Government  of  Kerala  had  consented  for sharing 50% of above project cost in November, 2015.  However, the State Government had requested in November, 2016 to execute this project with Railway funds.

Due  to alignment issues  as  stated  above  and  abnormal increase  in  land  cost,  the  project  cost  has  increased  from ` 550 crore to ` 2815  crore.  Land  Cost  has  been  increased from ` 22.82 crore  (in  original  estimate)  to ` 965  crore.  Due  to  this,  State Government has again been requested in January 2018 to continue to share 50% cost of the project.

Even though Government of Kerala has approved alignment in 2013,  local  people  are  not  permitting  survey  work  in  Kottayam District.  FLS  for  Ramapuram-Erumeli  (41  Km)  has  been  taken  up with  police  protection  and  the  progress  is  very  slow  due  to continuous protest; despite this, 10 Km FLS has been completed so far.

The  project  is  presently  held  up  as  Government  of  Kerala  is neither arranging the land nor agreeing to share 50% cost as agreed by  them  earlier  and  also  due  to  resistance  created  by  the  local people. These issues have been brought to the notice of Government of Kerala by various letters dated 06.02.2018, 01.03.2018, 26.03.2018 & 08.08.2018.

This project has not been entrusted to Kerala Development Corporation Limited.

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Rail