Opinion | Silverline project may turn into CPM's second Nandigram

This is a sequel to my article on Silverline project in Onmanorama on June 8 this year. Since then much water has gone under the bridge.

Let us have a re-look into the whole issue.

The detailed project report (DPR) for Silverline, the semi high speed rail corridor from Kochuveli to Kasaragod, was approved by the Kerala Cabinet on June 10 and was submitted to the Railway Board for its approval. It may be recalled that, for constructing even an inch of railway line anywhere in India, prior sanction from the Indian Railway Board is required.

No Central nod

The Railway Board has given only IPA (In Principle Approval) for taking up pre-investment activities. Subsequently, sanction has to be obtained from the Central Cabinet and Niti Aayog for implementation of the project.

Though the Central Government had sanctioned six semi-high speed/bullet trains in the last budget, Silverline project is not included in the above list. Further, the Union Finance Minister had announced that due to the peculiar circumstances prevailing in the country in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, no new projects will be considered till March 31, 2021.

This being the situation, it is unlikely that the project will get the necessary clearance from the Central Government as the Indian Railway is a joint venture partner of the project.

Acquisition falsehoods

Under the above circumstances, the move of the state government to acquire land before the approval of the project is illegal. As per various newspaper reports, Kerala Rail Development Corporation Limited (KRDCL) is going ahead with the land acquisition process.

It was reported in Manorama on July 26 that KRDCL is planning to acquire land paying up to four times the market value of the land proposed to be acquired. It seems from the report that the company is proposing to pay up to four times the market value as part of a magnanimous gesture. This is misleading.

The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act 2013, guarantees two times of the land value in urban areas and four times of the land value in rural areas, including 100 per cent solatium in both cases.

People generally presume that the market value is the value prevalent in the locality. This is absolutely wrong. As per Section 26 of the above Act, the market value is arrived at based on “average price determined taking into account the sale deeds or the agreement to sell registered for similar types of area in the near village or in the vicinity during immediately preceding three years of the year in which such acquisition of land is proposed to be made”.

The land value based on the above section will usually be around one fourth to one fifth of the real market value. It may be recalled that in the case of land acquisition of Kochi Metro, the company paid up to 52 lakh per cent as compensation on MG Road, and on approaching the HC, it was revised to Rs 1 crore per cent.

This clearly explains the real situation regarding the land value. The common man is misled by false promises.

Revenue department superseded

The land acquisition is usually done by the revenue department on the request of the company. But it is reported in Manorama dated July 26 that in order to avoid the delay in the land acquisition by the revenue department, a proposal was mooted by the principal secretary of the PWD, to engage a private agency for land acquisition.

Though the above proposal for engaging outside agency for land acquisition was nipped in the bud by the revenue minister, it is to be watched whether the objections of the revenue department will sustain.

Indian Railways vs KRDCL

The Indian Railways has already completed doubling of the line from Ernakulam to Ettumanoor and from Chingavanom to Trivandrum via Kottayam. Only a few kilometres between Ettumanoor and Chingavanam is to be doubled. It is expected that the above doubling work will be completed within a year.

Again the Central government has recently ordered the doubling of the Ernakulam–Kayamkulam via Alleppey railway sector on its own without even the participation of the state government, by sanctioning Rs 1,500 crore for the project.

The July 20 Manorama report stated that the Railways has decided to build one more line wherever double lines are available. Moreover, the railways has decided to increase the speed of all express trains to 160km per hour by 2025.

Tall claims and unending delays

It is being claimed by KRDCL that the project will be operational by 2024. It may be noted that it took 14 years to complete a single rail over the bridge at Edappally. It took 43 years to complete the Kollam road bypass.

The Alleppey road bypass is still a work in progress though it began 30 years ago. The Kuthiran tunnel which is around one km long has not been completed even after more than five years. The rail tunnel of 500 meters near Kottayam railway station has not been completed even after seven years.

Outdated before completion

The semi-high speed train involves a fairly long underground stretch. Hence the project may not be completed in 2024 and it can go on even beyond 2035. By the time the project is expected to be completed in 2035, the Railways would have started operating at a speed of 160 km per hour or more.

Though KRDCL is proposing a speed of 180 to 200km it may not be able to achieve the above speed in the initial stages. Hence the project will be obsolete, after spending Rs 1,00,000 crore and evicting 1,00,000 people, by the time it is commissioned in 2035.

Though India is exporting rolling stock to Germany, South Africa and Indonesia, by reducing the width to standard gauge, we are forced to import the rolling stock and allied equipment from Japan. Accordingly, we stand to lose Rs 30,000 crore foreign exchange. All other high speed/ semi high speed trains announced by the Centre are broad gauge lines, and even if we think of connecting Silverline to these lines in future, it will not be compatible.

Intriguing secrecy

The government and KRDCL are not divulging any details of the project. The project has not been discussed with MLAs/MPs and local administration, and not even the people who are going to be evicted.

A petition was submitted to the Governor six months ago and the same was forwarded to the government. Till date there has been no response.

Another petition was forwarded through Thomas Chazhikakdan MP to the chief minister. This, too, has not elicited any response so far.

The chief minister was also sent a letter by renowned environmentalists and human rights activists like Medha Padhkar, Aruna Roy, C R Neelakantan, Kusumam Joseph and others. No response so far.

Sastra Sahitya Parishad submitted a letter expressing concern to the CM. No response.

Even RTI applications that have been submitted are being rejected. A development project conceived in such secrecy evokes fear and not hope.

Once the restrictions imposed by the pandemic are lifted, the entire state is going to face severe agitations. Unless the government wants a repetition of another “Nandigram” the project should be abandoned forthwith.

(The author is the president of Mulakulam Residents’ Welfare Association. Views expressed here are personal)