CPI(M) workers in Kozhikode district are making house visits in the coastal belt to create awareness about the semi-high-speed rail project (SilverLine) and thus convince people to back out from protests against the project.
The workers claimed to have visited around 60 houses in the region in the last two days. Some residents re-laid survey stones uprooted by anti-K Rail activists last week, in the presence of CPI(M) workers.
The move comes against the backdrop of strong protest and clashes between local residents, police, and Revenue officials at Beypore and Kallai last week when officials turned up to lay survey stones for the project. The K-Rail Development Corporation had since then clarified that the laying of survey stones had nothing to do with land acquisition, and that it was part of the social impact assessment.
Party workers led by district secretary P. Mohanan visited houses in Beypore village on Wednesday. Mr. Mohanan interacted with those who lived close to the existing railway line and who would have to give up their land for the project. Speaking to reporters later, he said that the said people were not against the project. “In fact, they are keen to move away and view the SilverLine project as a ray of hope. They are also happy with the compensation announced by the State government,” he said.
Mr. Mohanan termed protests against the project “politically motivated” and said that the Congress, Indian Union Muslim League, BJP, SDPI, and the Jamaat-e-Islami were attempting to take advantage of the project. He added that it was not, in fact, the affected people who were protesting but outsiders who were opposed to the development of the State.
Meanwhile, despite prior announcement that Revenue officials would resume laying of survey stones on Wednesday, the process has not commenced. The anti-K-Rail protest committee had earlier clarified that any attempt to resume laying of survey stones in the district would be stopped at any cost.
