High-speed corridor not feasible: Prashant Bhushan

Prashant Bhushan, civil rights lawyer, inaugurating a blockade by an action council opposed to the High Speed Rail Coridor Project in front of the District Collectorate in Kozhikode on Thursday. Photo: S. Ramesh Kurup

The multi-crore, High-Speed Rail Corridor Project may not be economically feasible for the State and political parties should come forward for an open discussion with the public, civil rights lawyer Prashant Bhushan has said.

He was inaugurating a protest organised by the High-Speed Rail Pradhirotha Samithi in front of the collectorate here on Thursday.

He sought to know whether the State had any clarity on the rehabilitation of people who may be affected by the project.

Affected work

The protest affected the working of the collectorate as hundreds of agitators blocked both the entrances to the building.

Stranded

Many officials were stranded as agitators took out a march outside the collectorate complex and raised anti-corruption slogans.

“The gates were blocked shortly after 10 a.m. and the protests continued till 3 p.m. A few officials managed to get in before it started,” Additional District Magistrate K.P. Ramadevi said. Samithi office-bearers said in a press release that the government was ‘running behind’ the Rs.1.18-lakh-crore project without a thought for public interest. The project would result in mass displacement of people, the release said.