The Hindu Business Line : `Green signal' for Vallarpadam rail alignment

From among the four proposals, the Appellate Committee for finalising the rail alignment has chosen the second one, which covers a distance of 8.86 km since the number of residents affected by the alignment is the least.

The Kerala High Court rejecting a batch of writ petitions filed againstthe construction of a rail alignment through suburban Vaduthala to the site of International Container Transhipment Terminal at Vallarpadam, is seen as a green signal for the project.

Railway Vikas Nigam Ltd, technical consultants to the Southern Railway, had put forward four alternative alignments, one of the pre-requisites of ICTT project. From these, the Appellate Committee for finalising the rail alignment has chosen the second option, which covers 8.86 km and affects the least number of residents; only 78 families would be displaced, it is pointed out. Also, this alignment's project cost was the lowest at Rs 245 crore.

Petitions dismissed

Delivering the verdict, the Court observed that the decision to prefer the second alignment was arrived after the matter was entrusted to an expert body and the final decision was taken by a high-power committee consisting of all concerned, and experts. Such matters are best decided by an expert body, the Bench comprising the Chief Justice, Mr Justice V. K. Bali and Mr Justice Siri Jagan said while dismissing writ petitions filed by the residents of Vaduthala.

The Court observed that the alignment could not be given up on the sole ground that it would entail higher expenditure. The high-power committee had been alive to this aspect, but was persuaded by other considerations too. The first alignment was given up, as it was found not techno-economically feasible; it would have affected a bird sanctuary and several public institutions, including hospitals and schools.

Petitioners' submission

The petitioners, Vaduthala Janakeeya Samithy, submitted before the court that the second alignment was not feasible, as it would entail displacement of a large number of families and a high expenditure. The rail line would pass through a thickly populated area, the Samithy said and suggested that the first alignment was feasible because already a railway track branched off from Pachalam to Ernakulam Railway Goods Station, and this which could be connected to the ICTT, running parallel to the Goshree Bridges.

Now, the Samithy is planning to approach the Supreme Court especially as it claims that while the authorities had said that the width of the land to be acquired would be 12 metres, the survey has marked out 20 metres.

However, the district administration had initiated steps to proceed with the acquisitions to start the the work following the court verdict. The land survey has been completed. The Government has approved the alignment via Vaduthala and the construction tender has also been sanctioned, the officials said.

Suitable Rehabilitation

The port officials said the rail network had to be completed by 2009 as per the agreement with the terminal operator. It would take at least 30 months to finish the work.

According to the officials, the displaced families would be compensated or rehabilitated at another place with better facilities than those available at present for them within one year.

The acquisitions will be on negotiated purchase basis as per the norms laid down for fast-track projects.

Moreover, preference of employment will be given to one member of each of the displaced families in the development projects associated with the ICTT, the officials added.

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