Kerala's Sabari rail project inching towards reality after nearly three decades

Thiruvananthapura: As the Kerala government has decided to bear 50 percent of the cost of the Sabari rail project that offers rail connectivity to Sabarimala, a key hurdle for the nearly three decades old project has ended.

With the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple gold heist putting the CPM-led Left Democratic Front  government in Kerala in a tight spot ahead of the assembly polls, the decision to clear the bottle neck of the  project that benefits Sabarimala pilgrims could be used by the left-front for its counter campaigns.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan himself termed the decision of his government to bear 50 percent of the cost of the project as a 'historical decision', even though  it took nearly ten years under his regime to take the decision.

Owing to the delay, the cost of the project increased steeply.

The Sabari rail project was announced in 1998. The total cost was then estimated to be around Rs. 550 crore, which has now increased to around Rs. 3,800 crore.

The Sabari rail line is proposed between Angamaly on the suburbs of Kochi and Erumeli in Kottayam district via Idukki. It will be a blessing not only for Sabarimala Ayyappa temple pilgrims, but also for residents of the hilly regions of Kochi, Idukki and Kottayam that do not have rail connectivity now. In the 111 kilometer line there will be 14 stations including Angamaly and Erumeli.

There is also a proposal to extend it up to Thiruvananthapuram through the hilly regions of Pathanamthitta and Kollam districts and linking with the upcoming rail line to Vizhinjam international seaport.

While the project was initially delayed owing to disputes over alignment, the railways later insisted that the state government should bear half the project cost.

The differences between the centre and the state governments over this kept the project dragging for years even as the construction activities of the first stretch from Angamaly to Kalady was earlier initiated.

Now the cabinet decided to fund Rs 1905 crore for the project through state government agency Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB).

The cabinet also decided to provide Rs 2 crore for carrying out the survey for the extending the line up to Thiruvananthapuram, which could be linked to the new rail line connecting to Vizhinjam international seaport, thereby making the project more commercially viable.