Prashant Bhushan, senior lawyer and public activist, said here on Wednesday that the K-Rail Silverline project would create major environmental problems in Kerala.
Climate change was found to be the cause of recurring floods in Kerala. A huge sum of ₹1 lakh crore was being spent on a single high-speed line and the State would have to pay the interest alone to the tune of ₹5,000 crore every year.
While pointing out that it was important to understand that the potential for corruption lay behind this plan, he suggested that the existing railway line should be expanded.
Inaugurating the protest against the project organised by K-Rail Silverline Protest Committee in Payyanur, Mr. Bhushan said the standard gauge semi-high speed rail project to be implemented by the K-Rail Corporation without conducting any significant studies was a catastrophic project, inviting debt and natural disasters for Kerala.
K-Rail project was similar to the catastrophic construction in Uttarakhand where efforts were made to construct wide roads under the name of Chardham Highway by demolishing parts of the Himalayan region.
He observed that Kerala could not afford a project costing ₹1 lakh crore. Due to inflation, 6% interest would have to be paid and this would put Kerala into a debt trap, he said.
According to railway expert Alok Verma, ₹10,000 crore is enough to improve the existing broad gauge rail system in Kerala and increase the speed.
Therefore, there should be a popular movement against the K-Rail project. Payyannur, the historical land of many popular struggles, could write a new history of struggle against the K-Rail project, he opined.
At the convention held at Gandhi Park, K-Rail Silverline Protest Committee chairman T.P. Padmanabhan presided over the function. Convener V.K. Raveendran welcomed the gathering.
It was decided that letters would be sent to all 140 Members of the Assembly as part of the protest programme. A mass march would be organised to the Payyanur taluk office. A 50-member protest committee was formed to give shape to the future programme.
