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Vijayan: Talks with Modi on K-Rail positive
Talking to newsmen in Delhi, the CM said the PM was sympathetic to the project and that he is expecting a fast-track clearance.
Amid mounting protests in the state against high-speed rail project — K-Rail — chief minister (CM) Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday said he had a fruitful discussion with Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi regarding the project and the latter agreed to talk to railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on this.
Talking to newsmen in Delhi, the CM said the PM was sympathetic to the project and that he is expecting a fast-track clearance. He appealed to Opposition parties and others to shed narrow political differences and support the project, which he said, will change the face of the state.
“Even people who oppose the project agree that we need a fast travel mode in Kerala. A faster and safer travel is the need of the hour. K-Rail (Silverline) fits into the slot well,” he said adding that the government has no plan to trouble people to implement the project.
“In Kerala all projects have their share of controversies. It is natural that controversies surface for this project as well. All affected will be compensated and rehabilitated well,” Vijayan said.
The state is witnessing an unholy alliance between different parties and ideologies to oppose the project and they can’t sabotage a developmental project like this, he said. He also dismissed concerns that the project was detrimental to the environment and a sure recipe for natural disasters.
“The project is aimed at future generation. Those who oppose it are doing disservice to the state. We can’t always live with controversies and block development,” he said.
Earlier, the railway minister had expressed doubt over the project’s financial viability and said that sanction could not be accorded without getting a clear idea on technical and environmental issues involved. The BJP state unit is also opposing the project vehemently and two months back, a party delegation led by ‘Metro Man’ E Sreedharan had met Ashwini Vaishnaw requesting not to give sanction to it.
“What the CM said in Delhi are studded lies. Brute force is used on poor people who will be losing their houses and land. We will intensify our agitation,” said S Rajeevan, convener of the K Rail Viruddha Samity.
Protests continue in state
Meanwhile the state witnessed widespread protests against the project on Thursday. Survey stone laying work was disrupted in Kottayam, Kozhikode and Malappuram districts. In Kozhikode, Congress workers clashed with the police, who later resorted to baton charge. In Thiruvananthapuram, BJP workers scaled the walls of CM’s official residence, Cliff House, and laid survey stone on the premises but police later clarified that stone was laid at the house of the agriculture minister. Activist Medha Patkar also addressed a protest rally outside the state secretariat on Thursday.
The K Rail is expected to reduce travel time from north to south of the state to four hours from present 12 hours. According to the Kerala Rail Development Corporation, the proposed high- speed line will cover 530 km covering 11 districts. Once completed, the trains can run at 200 kmph. K Rail has set the deadline of 2025. A total of 1,383 hectares is needed for the project, out of which 1,200 hectares will be private land. It is expected to be constructed using equity funds from the state, Union railway ministry and multilateral lending agencies.
