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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3140
TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.03.2026
FUNDING FOR ANGAMALY-ERUMELY SABARI RAILWAY PROJECTS
3140. SHRI V K SREEKANDAN:
Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:
(a) whether it is a fact that the Kerala has agreed to bear 50 per cent of the
cost of the Angamaly-Erumely Sabari Railway Project and if so, the
details thereof;
(b) whether it is also a fact that this is the first instance in India where a
State Government has taken responsibility for funding a railway project
and if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the details of the steps taken by the Railways to execute the project in
light of the fact that the State Government is willing to bear 50 per cent
of the project cost?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND
ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)
(a) to (c): Angamali - Sabarimala via Erumeli new line project was
sanctioned in 1997-98. Work on Angamali-Kaladi (7 Km) and long lead
works on Kaladi-Perumbavoor (10 Km) was taken up. However, further
works on this project could not be taken forward due to protests by people
against land acquisition and fixing of alignment of the line, court cases
filed against the project and inadequate support from the Government of
Kerala. Therefore, the project could not proceed ahead.
...2/-
§-2-
The estimated cost of the Angamali - Sabarimala via Erumeli new line
project was updated at ₹3,801 crore and submitted to Government of
Kerala for the acceptance of the estimate and willingness to share cost of
the project.
In August 2024, the Government of Kerala communicated their conditional
consent. Government of Kerala was requested by Railway to submit
unconditional consent for sharing the cost.
Then the Minister of Railways requested the Chief Minister of Kerala to
acquire land using their share of 50% of the cost of the project. Once land
acquisition by State starts, work can proceed further.
Now, on the request of Govt. of India, the Govt. of Kerala has initiated land
acquisition proceedings and the Angamali – Sabarimala new line project
has moved forward. Ministry of Railways is following up the land
acquisition process with Govt. of Kerala.
Kerala:-
Budget allocation in the recent years has increased significantly. Budget
allocation for infrastructure projects and safety works, falling
fully/partly in the State of Kerala including Angamali – Sabarimala
project is as under:-
Period Outlay
2009-14 ₹ 372 crore/year
2025-26 ₹3,042 crore (more than 8 times)
...3/--3-
As on 01.04.2025, 06 projects (02 new line and 04 doubling) of 266 km
length, costing ₹9,415 crore falling fully/partly in Kerala are sanctioned.
The summary is as under:-
Category No. of Total Length Balance Expenditure
projects Length Commissioned to upto March
complete 2025
(₹in Crore)
New line 02 146 km 0 km 146 km 309
Doubling 2,941
04 120 km 26 km 94 km
/multitracking
Total 06 266 km 26 km 240 km 3,250
Zonal Railway wise details of Railway projects are made available in public
domain on Indian Railway’s website.
Details of some of the recently completed projects falling fully/partly in
Kerala are as under :
S. Cost
Project
N (₹ in Crores)
1 Dindigul – Pollachi - Palghat & Pollachi - Coimbatore
1,360
gauge conversion (217 km)
2 Quilon-Tirunelveli-Tiruchendur gauge conversion (357
1,122
km)
3 Mulanturutti-Kuruppantara doubling (24 km) 303
4 Chenganur-Chingavanam doubling (27 km) 436
5 Ambalapuzha-Haripad doubling (18 km) 346
6 Kurruppanthara-Chingavanam doubling (27 km) 749
...4/--4-
Some of the projects falling fully/partly in Kerala which have been taken up
are as under:
Cost
S No. Project
(₹ in Crores)
1 Tirunnavaya –Guruvayur new line (35 Km) 138
2 Angamali-Sabarimala new line (111 km) 3,801
3 Ernakulam-Kumbalam doubling (8 km) 595
4 Kumbalam - Thuravur Patch doubling 8 0 3
(16 km)
5 Trivandrum- Kanyakumari doubling (87 km) 3,786
6 Shoranur - Vallathol doubling (10 km) 367
7 Palakkad Town to Parli Bypass Line 1 6 4
(2 Km)
8 Alappuzha-Ambalapuzha doubling (13 Km) 324
9 Turavur – Mararikulam doubling (21 Km) 451
Execution of important infrastructure projects falling fully/partly in the
State of Kerala are held up due to delay in land acquisition. Status of land
acquisition in the State of Kerala is as under:
Total Land required for Projects in Kerala 476 ha
Land Acquired 65 ha (14%)
Balance Land to be acquired 411 ha (86%)
Railway had deposited ₹1,975 crore for land acquisition to Government of
Kerala. Support of the Government of Kerala is needed to expedite the
land acquisition. For instance, details of some major projects which are
...5/--5-
delayed due to land acquisition are as under:-
SN Name of the project Total Land Balance
land acquired Land to
required (in Ha) be
(in Ha) acquired
(in Ha)
1. Angamali - Sabarimala new line 416 24 392
(111 km)
2. Ernakulam – Kumbalam Patch 4 3 1
doubling (8 km)
3. Kumbalam – Turavur Patch 10 9 1
doubling (16 km)
4. Shoranur - Vallathol doubling (10 5 0 5
km)
Government of India is geared up to execute projects, however success
depends upon the support of Government of Kerala.
Sanction of any railway project depends upon many parameters/factors
which include the following:
Anticipated traffic projections and remunerativeness of the
proposed route
First and last mile connectivity provided by the project
Connection of missing links and providing additional route
Augmentation of congested/saturated lines
Demands raised by State Governments/Central Ministries/Public
representatives
Railway’s own operational requirements
Socio-economic considerations
Overall availability of funds
…6/--6-
Completion of Railway project/s depends on various factors which include
the following:
Land acquisition by State Government
Forest clearance
Shifting of infringing utilities
Statutory clearances from various authorities
Geological and topographical conditions of area
Law and order situation in the area of project site
Number of working months in a year for particular project site etc.
All these factors affect the completion time and cost of the project/s.
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