THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Despite recent setbacks like non-inclusion of the SilverLine project in the Union budget and the Centre’s stand against land acquisition before the project getting final approval, the state government is hopeful of clearing all hurdles and implementing the project.
Addressing a Pravasi Malayali Samgamam, a meet of non-resident Keralites in Dubai, on Saturday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the state would go ahead with Silverline project. He said VandeBharat trains, announced in the Union Budget, are not suitable for the state.
Govt will take people into confidence before implementing project: CM
T’Puram : Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed hope that Union government would soon accord final clearance for the project for which preliminary clearance has been granted. The CM also said the announcement of Vande Bharat high speed trains in the Union budget wouldn’t be a deterrent for SilverLine project. “Vande Bharat trains are not suitable for the state.
Experts like E Sreedharan have already clarified that,” he said. Sreedharan, who is a staunch critic of SilverLine project, had also disputed the arguments that Vande Bharat trains running on the existing track wouldn’t achieve higher speed and serve as a speedy alternative for state’s transport projects. He said changes in tune with the moving times would be essential for state’s progress.
“It is true that acquisition of land will be painful for residents. But, the government assures that proper compensation would be given to all who surrender land for development projects,” Pinarayi said, adding that the government would take people into confidence before implementing the project. He dubbed some criticisms as lack of awareness of the project and others as purposeful attempts to stall development. Earlier in the day, the CM inaugurated an investors’ meet in Dubai.
“The government is determined to bring investment to the state. The only condition we set is that industries coming here should be ideal for state’s conditions. Recently, the government has amended seven laws and 15 rules for improving the ease of doing business,” he said. Industries Minister P Rajeeve said the department would assign a committee for addressing the demands and resolving the issues of NRK investors.
CPM says No to bullet train, Yes to SilverLine
T’Puram: Even when the CPM central leadership has been relentlessly opposing the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pet bullet train project citing agricultural, economical and environmental reasons, it has endorsed Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s ambitious SilverLine that is also facing similar allegations.
CPM’s mouth piece ‘People’s Democracy’, that had earlier published a slew of articles and editorials on why bullet trains should be abandoned, has now penned an article claiming the 529-km SilverLine is inevitable. The article which endorses the project as a game-changer for the state brings out the the
CPM leadership’s double standards as far as SilverLine is concerned. “A project like the SilverLine is inevitable in a state like Kerala where railway development is very slow,” said the article.