Railways’ plans to complete the double-lining of the 620-km Mangaluru Junction-Kottayam-Thiruvananthapuram Central corridor by 2020 are likely to remain on paper due to land acquisition delays in the Ettumanur-Chingavanam corridor.
As in the case of other projects that have missed the deadline and are facing cost escalation, the State has failed to acquire four hectares of land needed for doubling the crucial 18-km stretch. In January last, the State promised Railways to handover the land by May 31. The proceedings to acquire 275 properties are moving at a snail’s pace. Railways have already awarded the ₹60-crore doubling work on the stretch. Doubling of the 10-km Chingavanam-Changanassery stretch has been completed. The doubling of the 8-km Kuruppanthura-Ettumanur stretch is progressing and will be completed in December. But, a double line from Mangaluru to Thiruvananthapuram Central to overcome a host of issues is possible only after completing the doubling of the Ettumanur-Chingavanam corridor.
Delay in making available the requisite land has hit the doubling of the 68-km Ernakulam-Ambalappuzha corridor, Sabari rail project, and doubling of the Thiruvananthapuram-Parassala stretch.
In the coastal line via Alappuzha, the 18-km double line from Haripad to Ambalappuzha will be completed in 2019.
A decision on the doubling the Ambalappuzha-Ernakulam stretch is yet to be taken as Railways are demanding cost-sharing of the project. A sum of ₹750 crore is needed for acquiring land.
Plans to put Sabarimala on the railway map are getting delayed due to land acquisition troubles and the question of cost-sharing of the ₹2,800-crore project. Of the 212 hectares needed up to Erumely, only 24 ha has been handed over to Railways. So far, only 8 km of track had been laid from Angamaly.
The request for acquiring 15 ha along the 6-km Thiruvananthapuram Central-Nemom route for doubling has been pending since February. Railways have been told that up to ₹15 lakh will have to be paid on an average for acquiring one cent of land. Railways will have to pay ₹630 crore for acquiring 5 ha up to Nemom and ₹3,000 crore for the land up to Parassala. Of the ₹1,552.94 crore for doubling and electrification, only ₹300 crore had been earmarked for land.
Six more months sought
Sources said the land acquisition delays had figured in the recent meeting of State-level Empowered Committee. Another six months have been sought by the State for handing over four hectares for Ettumanur-Chingavanam.