Lok Sabha Question No. 533 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-01
Subject: Sabari Rail Project in Kerala
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Adoor Prakash

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.533 TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.12.2021

## SABARI RAIL PROJECT IN KERALA

533.  ADV. ADOOR PRAKASH:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Railways has taken any final decision on the completion of long pending Sabari Rail project in Kerala;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the  present  status  of  this  project  along  with  the  year  of  approval, funds sanctioned/utilized and works completed; and
- (d) whether the Railways intend to complete this project and if so, the details thereof and the measures taken by the Government thereon?

## 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 UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO.  533  BY  ADV.  ADOOR  PRAKASH  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK SABHA ON 01.12.2021 REGARDING SABARI RAIL PROJECT IN KERALA

(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-Kaladi-Ramapuram 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 atleast 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  70  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.  Ministry of Railways will take a decision on receipt of Detailed Estimate of the complete project and not in parts.  Zonal Railway has been advised to get the estimate revised for the balance project length and 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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