Land acquisition delay affects rail projects, Rs 2,100 cr paid: Ashwini Vaishnaw to Kerala CM

Delay in land acquisition has hindered the progress of the railway projects in Kerala, Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw wrote in a letter to the Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

In his letter, the Union Minister said that railway infrastructure projects costing Rs 12,350 crores are in progress in Kerala and the highest ever budget outlay of Rs 3,011 crores has been allotted for 2024-25. "However most of the railway projects in Kerala are not progressing due to non-availability of requisite land," said Vaishnaw.

The Union Minister pointed out that despite making payments of more than Rs 2,100 crores to Kerala for the required land of 470 Ha, only 64 Ha of land could be acquired. "Railways had initiated efforts for acquisition of land for most of the sanctioned railway projects but could not succeed in acquiring land," he said. He requested the Chief Minister to issue instructions to the officers concerned to expedite the process of land acquisition so that the execution of projects can be done.

The Union Minister also enlisted four key projects which have been delayed due to issues in land acquisition.
- Trivandrum - Kanyakumari doubling
- Ernakulam - Kumbalam doubling
- Kumbalam - Turavur doubling
- Angamali - Sabarimala new line

Of the 416 Ha which need to be acquired for the Angamali - Sabarimala new line, only 24 Ha of land have been acquired, and the centre has deposited Rs 282 crores for the project.