Wayanad: The Final Location Survey (FLS) for the Nilambur-Nanjangud railway line has been completed and the Detailed Project Report (DPR) will be submitted soon, it is learned. The survey includes aerial survey, satellite imagery survey and spot survey marking the rail alignment of the area through which the rail line moves. Due to the lackadaisical attitude of the state government, the Southern Railway had to take over the project on its own, allocating Rs 5.9 crores in 2023. Nilgiri-Wayanad Railway and National Highway Action Council convener Adv T M Rasheed said that the agency would submit the Detailed Project Report to the railway board soon. '' Unlike last time when the procedures for the project were derailed for promoting the Thalassery-Mysore railway line, this time if the state government shows sincere interest, the project would be launched without much delay,'' he said.
The proposed 190-kilometre railway line moves through Meppadi-Sulthan Bathery-Chiackabergy and ends at Nanjangud. The exact route will be known only after submitting the final location sketch. The project was included in the ‘Pink Book’ of the proposed projects of the railway and also in the exclusive projects of Southern Railway for which an amount of Rs 3000 Crore was earmarked. Once completed, this line would connect Kochi with Bengaluru in 7 hours, Wayanad and Bengaluru in just 2.5 hours and Mysore in one hour. In the changed political situation, the state government is ready to extend support to the project as the Thalassery- Mysore rail link aimed at boosting the Kannur International Airport which was supported by the state earlier, had proved a non-starter, it is believed.
Earlier in 2013 the UDF government had appointed Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) principal advisor E Sreedharan to prepare the final survey report for the Wayanad Rail project. Interestingly, the government had sanctioned Rs 8 Crore for DMRC for the final survey of the project and also ordered an immediate release of Rs 2 crore as the first instalment on February 12, 2017. The fund wasn't credited. Later E Sreedharan came out in the open announcing his exit as the state government was not interested.
