The Hindu Business Line : Panel identifies feasible route for Kochi-Vallarpadam rail link

THE Appellate Committee constituted to study the three alignments for finalising the rail link from Kochi to the Vallarpadam Container Transshipment Terminal site has identified the route through Vaduthala in the suburban area of the city as the most feasible one.

It said the alignment passing through Vaduthala is the most feasible considering the limited number of eviction of families in the locality against larger section in the case of other three alignments proposed by the committee.

The cost involved for the rail link through Vaduthala will be to the tune of Rs 246 crore. The proposed rail link has been included in the fast-track projects of the State Government.

A decision in this regard was taken at a meeting on Monday, with the committee members comprising the District Collector, the Chairman of the Cochin Port Trust, Mr N. Ramachandran, MLAs, MPs and civic body officials. The committee has also announced a compensation package for families evicted from the area.

As per the decision, the port will compensate the families based on the negotiable clause while acquiring land for fast-track projects. Those not willing to accept cash as compensation under the package will be rehabilitated within a km of their current houses within a year.

Moreover, a member from each of the displaced families will be given preference in jobs once the container transshipment terminal materialises.

The rail route through Vaduthala will connect Edapally with Vallarpadam through Mulavukad Island. The length of the route is 8.86 km, of which 850 m will be elevated track. There will be four major bridges and two minor ones in the stretch. The area to be acquired is 18.38 hectares.

The land acquisition cost alone comes to the tune of Rs 54.39 crore and the civil construction work Rs 182.15 crore.

Among the two other alignments proposed, one is through the Divine Nagar-Vaduthala route. The cost would be around Rs 262 crore and 163 families would have to be displaced.

In the case of the alignment through the Kalamassery-Cheranaloor-Mulavukad route, the cost would be Rs 314 crore and 175 families would have to be displaced.

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