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A time aft Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan presented the Revised State Budget for 2026-27, the Sabari Railway Action Council Federation connected Saturday (June 20, 2026) powerfully protested against the alleged neglect of the much-delayed Angamaly-Erumely Sabari railway task successful the maiden Budget of the United Democratic Front (UDF) government.
Terming the omission disappointing, the federation alleged that the Revised Budget had pushed the task backmost into uncertainty. “The Budget failed not lone to allocate funds for the task but adjacent to notation it. It has caused disappointment and resentment among landowners successful the task area. We petition the Chief Minister to allocate astatine slightest ₹200 crore for the task during the existent fiscal year, portion replying to the Budget debate,” federation wide convener and erstwhile MLA Babu Paul and caput Jijo Panichanani said successful a connection connected Saturday.
The stakeholders of the project, particularly the landowners on the projected obstruction corridor whose holdings person been stuck successful the task for decades, had been pinning precocious hopes connected the Budget arsenic determination was a renewed involvement successful the task successful the caller past.
“The erstwhile Left Democratic Front government, pursuing sustained protests and campaigns by the Central Action Council, had agreed to stock fractional the task cost. It had earmarked ₹1,900 crore for the task done the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board successful its past State Budget and signed a memorandum of knowing with the Railway Board,” the federation office-bearers said.
They added that steps were initiated to unfastened dedicated onshore acquisition offices astatine Perumbavoor, Muvattupuzha, and Pala for acquiring land, portion the Railway Board besides had begun follow-up procedures.
The projected 111-km railway enactment would importantly boost education, trade, and tourism successful the hilly regions of Ernakulam, Idukki and Kottayam districts, too improving question for Sabarimala pilgrims, they said.
Although the task was sanctioned by the Centre successful 1997, it has faced repeated delays owed to onshore acquisition issues, biology concerns, and disagreements implicit cost-sharing betwixt the Centre and the State. Civil works successful the Angamaly-Kalady section, including a railway span implicit the Periyar, were completed years ago, but works connected the remaining stretches person not progressed.
