Kochi: Union Minister V Muraleedharan on Saturday visited the areas affected by Kerala government’s ambitious K-Rail project in Thiruvananthapuram. He said that Kerala does not need development displacing income of thousands. Union Minister V Muraleedharan on Saturday visited the areas affected by Kerala government’s ambitious K-Rail project in Thiruvananthapuram.
SilverLine project is a semi-high-speed rail project, expected to reduce travel time from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod to around four hours. The 532-km stretch would be developed by K-Rail — a joint venture of the Kerala government and the Railway Ministry — for developing railway infrastructure in the southern state.
Muinister slamming the government said, “Kerala doesn’t need development that displaces thousands of people who have no other means of income. SilverLine does not have people’s assent. It will force Kerala into debt trap. Kerala government is threatening innocent civilians in the name of Social Impact Assessment – which doesn’t permit planting yellow [marker] stones.”
The minister made an appeal to Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan to put a full stop to efforts that don’t have approval from the central government.
A protest has been staged by the residents. The protest is also backed by the opposition UDF and BJP in places where the government attempted to lay demarcation stones in the name of SilverLine project.
Despite of public and opposition opposing, the ate government had been pushing forward with the project.
LDF government has claimed that they have union government’s support even when people, including the railway minister, denied the same.
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