New Delhi: The central government has allotted Rs 2,744 crore to Kerala for the state's railway development, stated Ashwini Vaishnav, the Union Minister for Railways on Thursday in a press meet. This allocation was made as part of the interim Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Vaihnav also outlined the central government's plans for the Sabari railway project, which envisions a 111-kilometer railway line from Angamaly to Erumeli, and possibly extending to a convenient location near Pamba.

He mentioned that two alignments for the project were under consideration, and highlighted the need for the Kerala state government to actively participate in the land acquisition process, including straightening existing curves in the route.

The minister also accused the state government of not showing sufficient interest in railway development and asked whether the Silver Line project had been dropped. He contrasted the current NDA administration's commitment to Kerala's railway infrastructure with that of the previous UPA government, claiming that funding has increased sevenfold under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.

The Railways minister also informed that the updated version of the train protection system 'Kavach' is expected to be available soon.