Sabari rail project: landowners meet Minister, Chalakudy MP
A section of the landowners, whose holdings have remained effectively frozen for nearly three decades, met Higher Education Minister Roji M. John and Chalakudy MP Benny Behanan on Sunday and submitted a memorandum seeking their intervention.
The Angamaly–Erumely Sabari rail project continues to face uncertainty as affected landowners demand swift government action. A group of landowners met Higher Education Minister Roji M. John and Chalakudy MP Benny Behanan on Sunday (August 16) to submit a memorandum seeking intervention. Despite promises from both officials, no official communication has been received.
A similar meeting took place with Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan earlier in the week, with the Sabari Railway Central Action Council urging MPs to intervene. Pathanamthitta MP Anto Antony and Attingal MP Adoor Prakash have also written to the Chief Minister requesting a meeting to resolve administrative bottlenecks and address landowner concerns.
The project, proposed as the second phase connecting Balaramapuram and Erumeli via Pathanamthitta, Punalur, and Nedumangad, has been stalled since 1997, with landowners unable to sell or mortgage their land. The Railways' approval of a survey for a theni–erumely line has raised suspicions that Kerala's hesitation in land acquisition may have influenced this decision.
Landowners have stressed the need for expeditious action, fearing the land acquisition notification will expire within a year.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
