Thiruvananthapuram: State Congress president K Sudhakaran on Monday accused the Union government’s recent shift in stance on Kerala’s contentious K-Rail semi-high-speed rail project of exposing a “secret deal” between the CPM and the BJP.
The statement came after Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, speaking in Thrissur on Sunday, said he had recently discussed the project with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and had advised addressing the environmental and technical challenges in the K-Rail design to advance the project.
The multi-crore K-Rail project, which had nearly been shelved following strong opposition from environmentalists, political opponents, and the public, as well as lack of approval from the central government, now appears to have regained momentum. According to Sudhakaran, the Union Minister’s remarks reveal the BJP’s "gratitude" to the CPM for allegedly “securing” the Thrissur Lok Sabha seat for them through a covert agreement.
Sudhakaran criticised Vaishnaw’s statement that the project might proceed if technical and environmental concerns are resolved, calling it a shock to Kerala and accusing it of ignoring public sentiment. He argued that high-speed rail could be achieved by upgrading and modernising existing railway infrastructure rather than pursuing a project that would result in the displacement of residents and environmental damage.
In his statement, Sudhakaran alleged that the CPM-led state government proposed K-Rail not for public benefit but for potential corruption gains. He warned that any attempt to continue with the project would face strong public resistance.
The K-Rail project, a flagship state government initiative, aims to cover a 530-kilometre route from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod in four hours. However, both the opposition Congress and BJP in Kerala have opposed the project, citing concerns over the displacement of numerous families.