Lok Sabha Question No. 18 (STARRED), answered on 2022-02-02
Subject: Sabari Rail Project
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Abdul Majeed Ariff, Dean Kuriakose

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.18 TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.02.2022

## SABARI RAIL PROJECT

- *18.  ADV. A. M. ARIFF:

ADV. DEAN KURIAKOSE:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the present status of the Sabari rail project along with the year of approval, funds sanctioned/utilized and works completed;
- (b) whether the Union Government has received assurance from the State Government of Kerala regarding cost sharing for the Sabari rail project;
- (c) if  so,  whether  the  Union  Government  will  consider  reviving  the Sabari rail project on a cost sharing basis; and
- (d) the details of elaborate action taken/proposed to be taken thereon and the expected time frame to complete the project?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

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

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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF STARRED QUESTION NO. 18 BY ADV. A. M. ARIFF AND ADV. DEAN KURIAKOSE TO BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  02.02.2022  REGARDING    SABARI RAIL PROJECT

(a) to (d): Angamali-Sabarimala new rail line was sanctioned in 1997-98 at  a  cost  of ` 550  crore.  Total  length  of  the  project  is  116  Km. Anticipated cost of the project at 2017-18 rates is ` 2815 crore.

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-KaladiRamapuram section (70 Km) was completed in 2002 and further survey in  the  Kottayam  district  was  stopped  by  local  people  in  2007  due  to objections on alignment. The final project report can be prepared only after Final Location Survey is completed.

Consequently, in this project, work on Angamali-Kaladi (7 Km) and long  lead  works  on  Kaladi-Perumbavoor  (10  Km)  have  been  taken  up. However, further works on this project could not be taken forward due to  protests  by  local  people  against  land  acquisition  and  fixing  of alignment  of the line, court cases  filed against the project  and inadequate response from the State Government of Kerala.

This  has  delayed  the  execution  of  the  above  project  and  as  a result, project cost has increased from ` 550 crore in 1997 to ` 1566 crore (including land cost of ` 719 crore) in 2011 and further to ` 2,815 crore (including land cost of ` 965 crore) in 2017. As  taking  forward of this project  showing  512%  increase  in  project  cost  solely  with  Railway Funds was not possible, Railway had requested Government of Kerala vide  letters  dated  06.09.2011,  22.12.2011,  and  08.10.2012  to  share  at least 50% cost of the project.

Government of Kerala vide their letter dated 27.11.2015 agreed to share 50% cost of the project. Government of Kerala had also identified this project for execution under Joint Venture Scheme with Ministry of Railways  and  therefore,  an  MoU  was  also  signed on  01.09.2016. Unfortunately,  within  a  year,  the  State  Government  vide  letter  dated 15.11.2016  withdrew  their  own  consent  to  share  50%  cost  of  the project.

However,  given  the  public  demand,  Railways  again  conducted detailed  deliberations  on  the  feasibility  of  taking  forward  this  project vis-à-vis the availability of funds. Due to significant deficit, it was again decided  by  Railways  in  December,  2017  that  the  project  should  be undertaken on cost sharing basis.

Government  of  Kerala  was  again  requested  vide  letters  dated 06.02.2018 and 01.03.2018 for their consent to share at least 50% cost of the project for the benefit of the State.  There has been no positive response to this offer. As the State Government has withdrawn its own previously sanctioned consent to share 50% cost of the project and is not  cooperating  in  resolving  the  various  obstructions,  Railways  has decided  to  freeze  further  expenditure  on  this  project  temporarily,  and keep execution of works in abeyance, in September, 2019.

Ministry of Railways vide letter dated 11.01.2020 advised Government  of  Kerala  that  it  is  not  feasible  for  Railways  to  take  the project  forward  solely  with  Railway  funds,  and  State  Government  of Kerala  was  again  requested  to  share    the  cost  of    development    of Railway  network  in  the  State.  This  will  help  Railways  to  provide  the much  required  rail  link  for  the  travelling  needs  of  local  people  and pilgrims to the Holy Shrine.

After  long  persuasion,  recently  Government  of  Kerala  vide  letter dated 07.01.2021 has conveyed their decision to share 50% of the total project  cost  ( ` 2815  crore)  of  Angamali  -  Sabarimala  Railway  project through Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB), subject to the condition that operation and maintenance of the track shall be done by  Ministry  of  Railways  while  the  stations  along  the  route    will  be developed by a Special Purpose  Vehicle  (SPV)  (through  public  private partnership  route)  and  the  net  revenue  realized  by  the  SPV  will  be shared  on  a  50:50  basis  between  State  Government  and  Ministry  of Railways, after offsetting  the  cost  of  Operation  &  Maintenance  (O&M) as  agreed  to  by  Railways.  M/S  KRDCL  has  been  advised  to  complete Final Location Survey and to update the project cost.

KRDCL had updated estimate for 69.63 km length of project only and  Lidar  Survey  for  balance  length  is  yet  to  be  done,  it  is  worth mention  here  that  earlier  Railway  also  couldn't  take  up  final  location survey (FLS) in  the  area  due  to  stiff  public  resistance  and  no  support from  Government  of  Kerala  for  resolving  Law  and  order  issues. Zonal Railway has been advised to get the estimate revised for the balance project  length  and  M/S  KRDCL  has  to  submit  updated  estimate  of  the complete  project.    Final  decision  on  project  will  be  taken  only  after receipt of updated estimate for the complete project.

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