If obstacles are addressed, we can go ahead with K-Rail: Ashwini Vaishnaw backs Kerala's ambitious project

Thrissur: Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday (Nov 03) expressed support for the K-Rail project, noting, however, that there are technical and environmental challenges to its implementation. The Union Minister stated that if these obstacles are addressed and new proposals are submitted, the Railways would be willing to move forward with the project.

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Vaishnaw said," I met Kerala Chief Minister in Delhi and requested him that whatever technical and environmental issues are there in the design of K-Rail please address them expeditiously so that this project can also be taken forward because from our side, the NDA government,  we believe in cooperative federalism."

"We are committed to construct the Sabari rail from Angamaly to Erumeli as per the original alignment. The state government has recently sent a letter to us. There are certain conditions they have attached. So we will be very soon sending a format to the government of Kerala, a format which we have done with the government of Maharashtra, a similar format we will be sending to Kerala. Once they fill up the format, then the project can start and it can move forward," he added. 

The K-Rail project, once pursued by the state government but later deemed unfeasible due to central government opposition and public resistance, still has potential, according to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

Only 14% of the land needed for the Ernakulam-Kottayam-Thiruvananthapuram three-line path has been acquired by the state, Vaishnaw pointed out, and he added that more MEMU trains would be allocated to Kerala.

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• K Rail
• Ashwini Vaishnaw
• Pinarayi Vijayan