Land acquisition for SilverLine, the semi high speed rail (SHSR) corridor from Kochuveli to Kasaragod, has failed to take off despite the in-principle approval for the project from the Centre and the State’s nod for the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and alignment.
Votaries of the project are worried whether the acquisition of 1,383 ha of land needed across the State for SilverLine will get entangled in the forthcoming local body and Assembly elections.
At least 80% of land needed for the third and fourth railway lines of the State has to be acquired to get external funds for the cost-sharing project between the State and Railways. The delay on the part of the Revenue Department to issue formal orders for land acquisition is despite the Union Finance Ministry guidelines that allow the executing agency to go ahead with acquisition.
Land acquisition cells
The Revenue Department’s notification and administrative sanction for setting up land acquisition cells are mandatory for acquiring land for laying 529.45-km railway line and construction of 10 SHSR stations. The issue over the mode of land acquisition came up when the administrative department approached for sanction to set up land acquisition cells in 10 districts.
A high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in February had also decided to issue notification for acquiring land for the 10 stations for the project that will cover 11 districts, except Alappuzha, Idukki and Wayanad.
Project officials say the formal orders by the government will help them go ahead with the land acquisition even as the DPR and the alignment are awaiting the approval of the Railway Board.
Railways have already agreed to make available unused land of 200 acres in its possession in the corridors where the SHSR runs parallel to the existing line.
