KOCHI: Around 200-250 invitees are expected to attend the programme in Ernakulam on Thursday, in which chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan will be explaining the positive aspects of the SilverLine project.
The CPM district office has prepared a list of around 200 invitees from various sectors, including religion, politics and industry, to attend the programme. But the number was brought down to around 150 from the list given the new restrictions in the backdrop of more Covid cases.
The programme is expected to start at 11am and will continue till 1pm. Vijayan will be inaugurating the programme. Industries minister P Rajeeve will be presiding and K-Rail MD Ajith Kumar will be presenting the project. K-Rail sources said they have approached the government to get an exemption in allowing 200–250 people to attend the programme. “If no exemption is received, the invitees will be limited to 75. Many invitees are elderly, and we have to keep it in mind. The presentation will also be streamed online on K-Rail’s Facebook page,” said a source.
In Ernakulam, the stations are proposed to come up at Cochin International Airport Ltd (Cial) and Kakkanad. It is claimed that one can reach Thiruvananthapuram in 1.25 hours from Kochi for Rs 540 per passenger. It claimed that the number of visitors to the tourist spots in Ernakulam will increase when the project materializes. It has been envisaged to reach IT corridors, including Inforpark in Ernakulam and Technopark in Thiruvananthapuram.
However, noted environmentalists have said they have not received any invitation for Thursday’s programme. “Government will invite only sycophants, not us who raise questions. Government announced total compensation for land acquisition, including the land that belongs to Indian Railways. We don’t know whether the compensation amount will include the amount given to Railways. It is not specific on how much will be given to the affected for each cent of land and house. Moreover, even those who will not be displaced will face water-logging issues due to embankments. How is the government going compensate for that,” asked environmentalist C M Joy.
Around 116 hectares of land will be acquired in Ernakulam for the SilverLine project. Of this, the largest area of land will be acquired in Kizhakkambalam with 14.4821 hectares, followed by Kunnathunad and Maneed with 14.0077 and 11.4471 hectares, respectively.
