The Railway Board has asked Kerala to bear all the expenses related to land acquisition for the proposed Sabari rail project, including all the related expenses such as establishment charges, contingency charges, using its 50% share.

The State government had recently written a letter to the railways, enquiring who would bear the expense of opening three special tahsildar offices in Ernakulam, Idukki, and Kottayam districts to conduct the land acquisition for the project and the salaries of about 100 officials appointed in the land acquisition offices.

In response to the letter, the railway stated that the State government should cover the cost of land acquisition offices for the Angamaly-Erumeli Railway, for which a notification has been issued.

The notification also stated that the land acquisition for the Sabari railway project would be done using half of the State government’s share, amounting to ₹1,900 crore. The chief engineer of the construction department of the Southern Railway has replied to the Secretary of the Transport department that the expenses of the special tahsildar offices should also be included in the State government’s share. Further, the State should submit the details of yearly expenses incurred, including establishment charge etc. so that the 50% share amount can be arrived at on completion of the project, said the railways.

As part of the project, land acquisition for an 8-km stretch was completed in the initial phase, including around 90% of the construction work on the 7-km Angamaly–Kalady and a bridge, several years ago. The Union Budget for the financial year has earmarked ₹505 crore for the Angamaly-Sabari Railway project, while the State government had issued an order allocating ₹1,900 crore for the project from the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB). The State government had also issued a land acquisition notification four months ago after the Central government lifted the freeze on the construction of the Sabari Railway project.

As the land acquisition offices were not started yet, the process of land acquisition as per the new notification is yet to begin.Similarly, the 70-km stretch from Angamaly to Ramapuram station in Kottayam district was marked for the project 20 years ago. Those whose land was marked for acquisition are facing severe hardships as they can neither sell their land nor take loans by pledging the land.

The State government should take steps to quickly open land acquisition offices and appoint officials, and the railways should start electrification of the railway line up to Kalady and construction of bridges along the route, said Jijo Panachinanickal, office bearer of the State Federation of Sabari Action Councils.