The Kerala Rail Development Corporation (KRDCL) has evinced interest in executing the Angamaly-Sabarimala rail project aimed at putting the temple into the railway network of the country.
The move comes within three months of the state government agreeing to the demand of the Railways to bear 50 percent of the estimated Rs 2,815.62 crore of 116 km long Angamaly-Azhutha Sabarimala Rail.
The Cabinet had already decided to make available 50 percent of the estimate from the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) to the Railways.
The state had informed the Centre that the Railways will be responsible for construction and maintenance of the line while en-route station development will be taken up through publicprivate partnership (PPP) mode. The income would also be shared 50:50 between the state and the Railways after deducting the expense.
KRDCL had undertaken steps to revise the estimate and undertake a LiDAR survey to get clarity on the alignment along the 40 km Ramapuram-Erumeli Corridor. The authority has floated bids for selecting the agency for undertaking LiDAR, an aerial remote-sensing survey method.
Also, a similar aerial survey was carried out by KRDCL for the proposed 531.45bkm semi high-speed rail line from Kochuveli to Kasaragod. The estimate of the railway line had increased from Rs 550 crore to Rs 1,234 crore in 2005 to Rs 1,566 crore in 2011, and to Rs 2,815.62 crore.
Although the Railways has not defreezed the project despite the state agreeing to share 50 percent of the cost, only Rs 1,000 was provided in the Union Budget 2021-2022.
A total of 470.77 ha is required for Sabari Rail that passes through Ernakulam, Idukki, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts.
