Sabari rail action council flays omission of project in Budget, demands ₹200-crore allocation

A day after Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan presented the Revised State Budget for 2026-27, the Sabari Railway Action Council Federation on Saturday (June 20, 2026) strongly protested against the alleged neglect of the much-delayed Angamaly-Erumely Sabari railway project in the maiden Budget of the United Democratic Front (UDF) government.

Terming the omission disappointing, the federation alleged that the Revised Budget had pushed the project back into uncertainty. “The Budget failed not only to allocate funds for the project but even to mention it. It has caused disappointment and resentment among landowners in the project area. We request the Chief Minister to allocate at least ₹200 crore for the project during the current financial year, while replying to the Budget debate,” federation general convener and former MLA Babu Paul and secretary Jijo Panichanani said in a statement on Saturday.

The stakeholders of the project, especially the landowners along the proposed rail corridor whose holdings have been stuck in the project for decades, had been pinning high hopes on the Budget as there was a renewed interest in the project in the recent past.

“The previous Left Democratic Front government, following sustained protests and campaigns by the Central Action Council, had agreed to share half the project cost. It had earmarked ₹1,900 crore for the project through the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board in its last State Budget and signed a memorandum of understanding with the Railway Board,” the federation office-bearers said.

They added that steps were initiated to open dedicated land acquisition offices at Perumbavoor, Muvattupuzha, and Pala for acquiring land, while the Railway Board also had begun follow-up procedures.

The proposed 111-km railway line would significantly boost education, trade, and tourism in the hilly regions of Ernakulam, Idukki and Kottayam districts, besides improving travel for Sabarimala pilgrims, they said.

Although the project was sanctioned by the Centre in 1997, it has faced repeated delays due to land acquisition issues, environmental concerns, and disagreements over cost-sharing between the Centre and the State. Civil works in the Angamaly-Kalady section, including a railway bridge over the Periyar, were completed years ago, but works on the remaining stretches have not progressed.