THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With CPI, the second largest constituent of the LDF, also demanding the release of the detailed project report of the SilverLine semi high-speed rail project, the government will soon direct K-Rail to publish the same on its website. So far, K-Rail has been rejecting applications filed under the RTI Act for the DPR , saying it is intellectual property.
It is learnt that the DPR of the project will be published in the public domain in the first half of January. The CPI leadership decided to officially demand the release of DPR based on the discussions held in the last meeting of the party state council. There was harsh criticism from several members about the forcible land demarcation proceedings. The opposition UDF and Anti-K-Rail Action Council have already demanded the DPR’s release.
“We are for the project which is beneficial for the state. Moreover, it was promised in the LDF election manifesto. But there are several concerns levelled by the public. All that needs to be clarified first,” CPI assistant state secretary K Prakash Babu said here on Sunday.
Though the CPM and CPI claim that SilverLine is a project that was promised in the LDF manifesto, the implementation of the project is not in line with the promises in the manifesto. The project is part of the section where Kerala’s railway development needs are discussed. Completion of Kochi Metro, light metro projects for Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode and Sabari rail project are also part of this section. However, the hastiness for implementation is only visible in the case of SilverLine while the government is mum on light metro and Sabari projects.