Lok Sabha Question No. 2758 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-11
Subject: Allocation of Fund for Angamaly Sabari Railway Line
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Adv Dean Kuriakose

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2758

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.12.2024

## ALLOCATION OF FUND FOR ANGAMALY SABARI RAILWAY LINE

## 2758.  ADV DEAN KURIAKOSE:

Will the Minister of  RAILWAYS  be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  received  any  proposal  from  the Kerala State Government regarding the sharing of funds for the proposed Angamaly Sabari Raliway Line;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  allocated  funds  in  the  current financial year for the said project, if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) whether the Government has utilised the allocated funds in the current financial year, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a) to (d): Angamali-Sabarimala  via  Erumeli  new  line  project  was sanctioned in 1997-98. Work on Angamali-Kaladi (7 Km) and long lead works on Kaladi-Perumbavoor (10 Km) was taken up. However, further works  on  this  project  could  not be taken forward due to protests by

…2/-

local  people  against  land  acquisition  and  fixing  of  alignment  of  the line, court cases filed against the project and inadequate support from the State Government of Kerala.

The estimated cost of the project has been updated by M/s Kerala Rail Development Corporation Ltd. (KRDCL) at ₹3801 crore and submitted to Government of Kerala in December, 2023 for the acceptance of the estimate and willingness to share cost of the project. The Government of  Kerala  has  communicated  their  willingness  to  share  the  cost  of project with certain conditions in August, 2024. Government of Kerala has  been  requested  by  Railway  to  submit  unconditional  consent  for sharing the Cost. The Government of Kerala has also been requested to  enter  into  tripartite  MoU  among  State  Government  of  Kerala, Ministry of Railways and RBI for the Project.

The completion of any Railway project depends on various factors like quick  land  acquisition  by  State  Government,  forest  clearance  by officials  of  forest  department,  deposition  of  cost  share  by  State Government  in  cost  sharing  projects,  priority  of  projects,  shifting  of infringing utilities, statutory clearances  from  various authorities, geological and topographical conditions of area, law and order situation in the area of project(s) site, number of working months in a year for particular project site due to climate conditions etc.

## Budget allocation for infrastructure projects and safety works, falling fully/partly in the State of Kerala is as under:

| Period   | Outlay                           |
|----------|----------------------------------|
| 2009-14  | ₹372 crore/year                  |
| 2024-25  | ₹3,011 crore (more than 8 times) |

Though fund allocation has increased manifold but pace of execution of  project  is  dependent  on  expeditious  land  acquisition.  Railway acquires the land through State Government and the completion of a railway projects is dependent of land acquisition.  However, Execution of  important  infrastructure  projects  falling  fully/partly  in  the  State  of Kerala  are  held  up  due  to  delay  in  land  acquisition.  Status  of  land acquisition in the State of Kerala is as under:

| Total Land required for Projects in Kerala   | 475 Ha       |
|----------------------------------------------|--------------|
| Land Acquired                                | 64 Ha (13%)  |
| Balance Land to be acquired                  | 411 Ha (87%) |

Government  of  India  is  geared  up  to  execute  projects,  however success depends upon the support of Government of Kerala.  Railway had  deposited  ₹2111.83  crore  for  land  acquisition  to  Government  of Kerala.

Support of the  Government of Kerala is needed to expedite the land acquisition.

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