Despite the mounting protests in Kerala over the semi-high-speed rail project, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Thursday that a large section of people wanted to have the project and hence the government would take it forward.
Vijayan said that the semi-high-speed rail project was a key factor in Kerala's development, so many people wish to see such projects coming up. Only a section was staging protests, he added.
"The left-front could take forward many projects like NH widening and GAIL pipeline that were held up due to protest. Hence the rail project would be also taken forward by taking the people into confidence," he said while speaking at the commissioning of 51 road projects.
Meanwhile, the state did not witness any law and order issues on Thursday over demarcation stone laying for the project.
Leaders of the action council against the project said that the protest against the project was only kept on mounting. Even the CPM's door-to-door campaigns with ministers and MLAs were facing stiff resistance.
Sources said that since the CPM national congress would be held in Kerala next week and party leaders from across the country coming down to Kerala, the demarcation stone laying could be kept in abeyance to avoid protests in the state while the party meeting was progressing. The party's national leadership had already backed the steps being taken by the state government.
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