Kerala proposes a new railway line through Bandipur- greens oppose

MYSURU: After failing to convince Karnataka on revoking night traffic ban through Bandipur tiger reserve and implementation of Thalassery-Mysuru railway line which is opposed by greens in Kodagu, now the Kerala is preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR) on a new line between Nanjanagud and Nilambur, a famous tourist city in Kerala. But greens warned the Karnataka government that this project is also as bad as Mysuru-Thalassery project. Already Nanjanagud is connected well in terms of railway line and the South Western Railway (SWR) now proposed electrification of this line in the new budget.
The Nanjanagud - Nilambur railway line was first proposed in the British era. This 236km long railway line was proposed to connect three states i.e. Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. In Kerala, locals are pressurising the state government and the union railway ministry by forming the Nilambur-Mysore Railway Action Council.
In his reply to the Vadakkara MP K Muraleedharan, in the ongoing Lok Sabha session, Union railway minister Piyush Goyal informed that the Kerala Rail Development Corporation Limited (KRDCL) has been entrusted for preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the work of Nilambur– Nanjangud Rail Line Project by Government of Kerala. DPR of this project will also be finalised in light of the outcome of high level meeting between Kerala and Karnataka States at chief secretary level along with officials concerned from Forest Department and Transport Department as alignment is passing through the states of Kerala and Karnataka.
Speaking to TOI, Muraleedharan informed that DPR of this project is being getting ready. "But our demand is the implementation of the Thalassery-Mysuru railway line," he said.
Civic activist Akash F Patil, and green activist Bhagya Lakshmi said the idea of Nanjanagud-Nilambur project is as bad as Thalassery-Mysuru railway line. "For Mysuru, green cover is a heritage. We can't measure it by money. So, let the railway drop this proposal," they urged.
"Kerala must drop this pressure tactic. The Karnataka government must not budge to any pressure," said Bhagya Lakshmi.