The widely publicised Semi High Speed Silver Line Project of the Kerala Government that proposed to connect Thiruvananthapuram in the south with Kasaragod in the north in four hours has come under the scanner following reservations expressed by eminent technocrats like E Sreedharan, former head of Metro Rail and environmental experts like C R Neelakantan.
The Left Democratic Front-led Government claims that the state-of-the-art railway line would change the economical and social life of Kerala once the Silver Line Project to be executed at a cost of Rs 63, 940 crore. The yet to be named Silver Line Express would traverse the 529.45 km distance in four hours chugging at a speed of 200 km per hour. There are 11 stations, out of which three are to be built on elevated platforms, one to be underground and the remaining ones to be in ground level.
All these points are music to the ears while the Kerala Government has kept a studied silence on the economic, ecological, environmental and social impacts the stand-alone rail route would cause, points out C R Neelakantan, an engineer-turned-environmentalist.
John Peruvananthanam, noted environmentalist, told The Pioneer that he shudders at the thought of the ecological and environmental disasters waiting to happen in the State once the Government moves ahead with the construction.
The project requires 1,383 hectare land for completion of the rail route. Neelakantan said that out of the total land required, 1,200 hectare land was with private people. “The land acquisition would displace 25,000 to 35,000 people from their land. Where will they go? Does the government have alternative arrangements to rehabilitate and resettle these people in this land starved State?” asks Neelakantan.
John adds that the 1,200 hectare land to be acquired belong to minimal, small and medium farmers. “The uniqueness of this land is that it is fertile where farming operations could be held round-the year. While the Government takes over the land, it is robbing the poor farmers of their livelihood. The Government will not be able to offer them fertile land in return for the land which is acquired,” said John.
The project in its current form would destroy 135 km long ever green farm land in three districts of Alappauzha, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta and part of Kollam district, pointed out John and Neelakantan.
The 135 km stretch of the rail passes through Thrissur, Palakkadu and Malappuram districts and this too would lead to the destruction of environment and ecology, said Neelakantan. John says the 70 km long mangrove (popularly known as kandal kaadu) which saves northern Kerala from soil and sea erosion too would be chopped away to facilitate the constriction of the high speed railway. “No social and ecological impact has been held by the Kerala Government till date . An agency with dubious track record was entrusted with the task of completing the ecological impact. The people are not convinced with the assessment made by this body,” said Neelakantan.
Dr Sreedharan, who could be regarded as India’s last word on railway projects is of the view that the Silver Line Rail Project is a misadventure. “The State Government hurriedly pushing the semi speed Silver Line Project, for political gains, is a misadventure. The alignment chosen is flawed and not accepted by the Railways. Railways have not approved the technical parameters. Its cost has been brutally suppressed. More than 25,000 families will be displaced. In its present form the Railway Board will not clear this project. I find no future for the Silver Line Project,” Dr Sreedharan told The Pioneer much before he contested the last assembly election.
There are more issues for which the State Government owes the people explanations and reasoning, said Neelakantan. He said the project has begun just now and he along with others would come out with disclosures about the unviability of the Silver Line on another occasion.
