Lok Sabha Question No. 2906 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-06
Subject: Angamaly-Sabari Rail Project
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Hibi Eden

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2906 TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.08.2025

## ANGAMALY-SABARI RAIL PROJECT

## 2906.   SHRI HIBI EDEN:

Will the Minister of  RAILWAYS  be pleased to state:

- (a) whether Kerala Rail Development Corporation Limited (KRDCL) is expected to execute the Angamaly-Sabari railway line project, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (b) whether the Railways plans to inform the anticipated timeline for this project, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reason therefor;
- (c) whether the Railways intends to include this project in PM Gati Shakti, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reason therefor;
- (d) whether the Government has observed delays by the railway board in approving revised estimates and if so, the reasons for these delays; and
- (e) whether the Government  plans to expedite the entire process  for  timely  and  effective  implementation  of  the project,  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  if  not,  the  reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND

ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a) to (e):  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 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 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.

In August 2024, the Government of Kerala has communicated their conditional consent. 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.

However,  in  the  Memorandum  submitted  by  Govt.  of  Kerala  to Minister of Railways on 3rd June, 2025, it has been intimated that State  Govt.  of  Kerala  does  not  agree  to  enter  into  tripartite agreement.

In the recent meeting with the Chief Minister of Kerala, Minister of Railways requested the Government of Kerala to acquire land using their share of 50% of the cost of the project. Once land acquisition by State starts, work can proceed further.

+

.

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                  |
| 2025-26  | ₹3,042 crore (more than 8 times) |

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   | 476 Ha       |
|----------------------------------------------|--------------|
| Land Acquired                                | 73 Ha (15%)  |
| Balance Land to be acquired                  | 403 Ha (85%) |

Government  of  India  is  geared  up  to  execute  projects,  however success  depends  upon  the  support  of  Government  of  Kerala. Railway had deposited ₹2112 crore for land acquisition to Government  of  Kerala.    Support  of  the  Government  of  Kerala  is needed  to  expedite  the  land  acquisition.  For  instance,  details  of some major projects which are delayed due to land acquisition are as under:-

|   SN | Name of the project                        |   Total land required (in Ha) |   Land acquired (in Ha) |   Balance Land to be acquired (in Ha) |
|------|--------------------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------|---------------------------------------|
|    1 | Angamali - Sabarimala new line (111 Km)    |                           416 |                      24 |                                   392 |
|    2 | Ernakulam - Kumbalam Patch Doubling (8 Km) |                             4 |                       3 |                                     1 |
|    3 | Kumbalam - Turavur Patch Doubling (16 Km)  |                            10 |                       9 |                                     1 |
|    4 | Trivandrum - Kanyakumari Doubling (87 Km)  |                            41 |                      36 |                                     5 |
|    5 | Shoranur - Vallathol Doubling (10 Km)      |                             5 |                       0 |                                     5 |

The  Government  of  India  is  working  diligently  to  strengthen  the railway  network  in  Kerala.  To      strengthen  the  railway  network passing through Kerala, the following surveys have been sanctioned:

|   SN | Route                                    | Length   |
|------|------------------------------------------|----------|
|    1 | Mangaluru - Shoranur 3 rd & 4 th Line    | 308 Km   |
|    2 | Shoranur - Coimbatore 3 rd & 4 th Line   | 99 Km    |
|    3 | Shoranur - Ernakulam 3 rd Line           | 107 Km   |
|    4 | Ernakulam - Kayankulam 3 rd Line         | 115 Km   |
|    5 | Kayankulam - Thiruvanathapuram 3 rd Line | 105 Km   |
|    6 | Thiruvananthapuram - Nagercoil 3 rd Line | 71 Km    |

Completion  of  Railway  project/s  depends  on  various  factors  like quick  land  acquisition  by  State  Government,  forest  clearance  by officials of forest department, 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  etc.  All  these  factors  affect  the  completion  time  and cost of the project/s.

*****