THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government has formally put on hold the social impact assessment (SIA) for the proposed SilverLine semi high-speed railway project until it gets approval from the Railway Board. Revenue officers who were entrusted with the task of boundary stone laying will be recalled.
Earlier, the boundary stone-laying work -- which the government said was part of the SIA for land acquisition -- had triggered large-scale protests in various parts of the state. A total of 1,221 acres of land in 11 districts had to be acquired for the project.
Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) A Jayathilak has written to the Land Revenue Commissioner and collectors of 11 districts, asking them to recall the staff and submit proposals for their redeployment for specific projects.
The officers to be recalled are currently posted in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Kannur and Kasaragod districts.
On September 26, the Kerala High Court had closed several petitions challenging the social impact study and the boundary stone-laying, saying the Centre was yet to approve the detailed project report (DPR) of the semi high-speed rail corridor.
Justice Devan Ramachandran said the petitioners need not have any apprehensions regarding the project as no new notification for SIA has been issued after the expiry of the last one and the DPR, as well as the land acquisition, has not been approved by the Centre.
Therefore, no orders are required to be passed in the petitions in the present situation, he had said.The court said the petitioners have the liberty to revive their pleas in case of any new development in connection with the project.
The state government, however, has not dropped its ambitious project.Finance Minister K N Balagopal had recently raised the issue with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The sanction for SilverLine was part of the wish list submitted by the state at the pre-budget consultation by the Union government.