Even as the State has been witnessing intense protests against SilverLine, the proposed semi-high-speed rail project, K-Rail authorities have completed laying alignment stones in 175 km of the total 530 km.
The Kerala Railway Development Corporation Ltd. (KRDCL) managing director V. Ajith Kumar told The Hindu on Wednesday that around 33% of the work had been completed and the remaining 67% was under way.
“Once two-thirds of the stones are fixed, we are hopeful of starting the social impact assessment (SIA) of the project under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013,” said Mr. Ajith Kumar.
Asked about the growing public protests against the laying of marker stones, he said stones had to be laid nearly 50 m apart. But even if there was a gap of up to 200 m between stones at places due to protests, it would not affect the prospects of holding the SIA, said Mr. Ajith Kumar.
In north Kerala
The authorities could not start laying marker stones in Pathanamthitta and work is progressing slow in Malappuram and Thrissur, while the work is in full swing in north Kerala, especially in Kasaragod and Kannur. Parts of central Travancore remained the hotspots of the anti-SilverLine protests. This is mainly because of the strong presence of anti-K-Rail activists in the region.
More than political parties such as the Congress or the BJP, the presence of outfits such as the Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) (SUCI) is posing a big challenge to the SilverLine works, according to government sources.
Concerted efforts
According to officials, there have been concerted efforts to bring more women and children to the forefront of the agitation. More than landowners, activists brought from neighbouring areas have been giving a tough time to the official machinery.
The data regarding the number of families that will be affected or displaced, and houses, buildings, settlements and other properties that will have to be acquired will be collected as part of the SIA.
