Thiruvananthapuram: Confusion still persists over the stand of the central government towards the question of giving clearance for the proposed K-Rail project even after Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijan's meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi the other day.
Pinarayi claimed after the meeting that the PM was sympathetic to the state's demand for sanctioning the K-Rail project. He said the PM had promised him that the latter would talk to the railway minister.
But Pinarayi's optimism was short-lived as Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw later in the day told Parliament that his ministry would take a very cautious approach towards the SilverLine project.
It was on Thursday at 11am that the chief minister met the prime minister at the latter's chamber in Parliament. The chief minister later told the media that Modi was very considerate and attentive during the discussions and his approach was very healthy.
When Pinarayi was meeting the prime minister, the railway minister was sitting in an adjacent room in Parliament. Pinarayi came out from the office of the prime minister by 11:30am and held an informal meeting with the railway minister. Pinarayi also called on the principal secretary to the prime minister. The railway minister later met the prime minister to discuss the matter.
It was by 4pm on Thursday that the chief minister briefed the media about the outcome of his meeting with the prime minister. But later around 6pm, while replying to the debate on the Demand for Grants for the Railway Ministry in the Rajya Sabha, Ashwini Vaishnaw said that there was no need for a hurried response in the matter. The Minister repeated the same points that he had told the Lok Sabha last week.
Just after the statement of the union minister in Parliament, Railway Passengers Amenities Committee chairman and state BJP leader PK Krishnadas commented that the prime minister had distanced himself from the K-Rail project.
When asked by the media about the main stumbling block for the project, whether it is linked to the DPR or political decision from the Centre, the chief minister said that the state had replied to all the queries raised by the Railway Board about the proposed project. Pinarayi added that he didn't think there was any kind of political opposition to the project from the Centre's side.
The Railway Ministry has, however, clarified that there needs to be much more clarity with regard to the financial feasibility and the environmental impact of the project.
