THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Opposition and BJP have called the K-Rail DPR released by the government an impromptu one.
Opposition leader V D Satheesan said the DPR is an improvised one. "How can a DPR be prepared without carrying out environmental, social impact studies. The DPR claims that all the natural resources in demand for the 530km K-Rail project is available in central Kerala," he said.
At least 55% of the K-Rail (292 km) would have an embankment, the height of which ranges from one to nine metres. Walls are to be built in other places. All these works need granite and sand. "The government should tell where it has kept hidden such a huge deposit of natural resources in central Kerala. The K-Rail MD has earlier claimed that the natural resources would be brought from other states via train. The DPR doesn't even mention the quantity of granite and sand required for the construction work," he said.
BJP state president K Surendran too attacked the government for preparing an incomplete DPR for such a megaproject. "The warning given by E Sreedharan has been proven right. The project is aimed at helping contractors and quarry mafia. This is a casually prepared report," he said. On what basis does the government expect that K-Rail would attract 80,000 passengers per day while Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train expects only 36,000 passengers, he asked.
