Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi has sought the immediate intervention of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for the preparation of a detailed project report (DPR) for the proposed Nilambur-Nanjangud railway line.
In a letter to Mr. Vijayan, he said the speedy execution of the project had been a long-standing demand of the people of Wayanad. The delay in the construction of the railway line has hit connectivity, besides hampering the economic prospects of the region, he said.
Mr. Gandhi said he had raised the matter at various forums, including Parliament. In a letter to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on July 4, Mr. Gandhi demanded examination of reasons for the unreasonable delay in the execution of the project. In his reply on July 8, Mr. Vaishnaw said the Ministry was yet to receive the DPR from the State government.
“I had raised the matter in Parliament in December 2019 and urged the Central government to lend all possible support to the Government of Kerala to ensure the timely completion of the project,” Mr. Gandhi said.
Then Minister of State for Railways said in his reply in July 2020 that the DPR would be prepared by the Kerala Rail Development Corporation Limited, and that a discussion had been proposed between the Chief Secretaries of Karnataka and Kerala for the approval of the revised alignment.
The survey for the project was first taken up in 2013-2014 and was even included in the Capital Investment Programme - 2016-2017.
“However, the project has been in limbo,” Mr. Gandhi said, adding that given the critical importance of the project for the region, the State government should work towards ensuring its timely execution.
