Lok Sabha Question No. 26 (STARRED), answered on 2024-07-24
Subject: Extension of  Sabarimala Railway Line to Vizhinjam International Seaport
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Adv. Adoor Prakash

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 26 TO BE ANSWERED ON 24.07.2024

## EXTENSION OF SABARIMALA RAILWAY LINE TO VIZHINJAM INTERNATIONAL SEAPORT

- *26    ADV. ADOOR PRAKASH:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to conduct a feasibility study for  extending  Angamali-Sabarimala railway line  from  Erumeli  to Vizhinjam International Seaport, under Rail Sagar project declared in last budget;
- (b) whether  the  Government  is  prioritizing  to  connect  the  districts which  have  no  railway  facilities  and  cities  having  more  than 50,000 population and if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) whether the Government will consider Nedumangad town for rail connectivity as the municipality is having population more than 62,000 and has been proposed for rail connectivity under PM Gati Shakti Scheme and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

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

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (c)  OF STARRED  QUESTION  NO.  26  BY  ADV.  ADOOR  PRAKASH  TO  BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 24.07.2024 REGARDING EXTENSION OF SABARIMALA RAILWAY LINE TO VIZHINJAM INTERNATIONAL SEAPORT

(a)  to  (c):    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  by  M/s Kerala  Rail  Development Corporation  Ltd. (KRDCL) at 3726.95 crore and submitted to Government  of Kerala on 15.12.2023 for the acceptance  of  the  estimate  and  willingness  to  share  cost  of  the project. However, Government of Kerala has not communicated their views so far.

Meanwhile, a public demand has been received for exploring new railway  line  from  Chengannur  to  Pamba  which  is  a  shorter  route  for Sabarimala  Shrine.    Pamba  is  situated  about  4  Km  away  from Sabarimala shrine.   Final Location Survey for Chengannur - Pamba (75 Km) new line has been sanctioned.  The survey of said work has been taken up for preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR).

There is no relation between  Sabarimala  Rail project and Vizhinjam International Seaport.

Sanctioning  of  Railway  projects  is  continuous  and  dynamic process of Indian Railways. Railway infrastructure projects are taken up on the basis of Remunerativeness, last mile connectivity, missing links  and  alternate  routes,  connecting  to  unconnected  towns  and cities, including those having population more than 50,000, augmentation of congested/saturated lines socio-economic considerations  etc.  depending  upon  liabilities  of  ongoing  projects, overall availability of funds and competing demands.

As on 01.04.2024, 08 projects (02 new lines and 06 Doubling) of 419 Km length, costing  12,350 crore falling fully/partly in the State of Kerala are in planning/approval/construction stage. An expenditure of

3,046 crore has been incurred upto March 2024.  These include:-

- 02 New Line Projects of total length 146 km at a cost of 3,864 crore and an expenditure of 304 crore has been incurred upto March 2024.
- 06 Doubling Projects of total length 273 km at a cost of 8,486 crore and an expenditure of   2,742 crore has been incurred upto March 2024.

Since 2014, there has been substantial increase in fund allocation  and  commensurate  commissioning  of  projects  in  State  of Kerala as under:-

| Period   | Average Outlay   | Increase w.r.t. average allocation of 2009-14   |
|----------|------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
| 2009-14  | 372 crore/year   | -                                               |
| 2023-24  | 2,033 crore      | 5.5 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. State Government  assesses  the  compensation  amount  and  advises  to Railway.  On  receipt  of  demand  from  State  Government,  Railway deposits compensation amount with concerned District Land acquisition  Authority.  Execution  of  important  infrastructure  projects falling fully/partly in the State of Kerala is held up due to delay in land acquisition  and  only  about  62.83  Ha  land  has  been  acquired  out  of total requirement of about 459.54 Ha. Railway had initiated efforts for acquisition of land but could not succeed in acquiring land for projects though Railway has paid 2125.61 Crore to Government of Kerala for land  acquisition.  Support  of  the  Government  of  Kerala  is  needed  to expedite the land acquisition.

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