A roadmap has been worked out for the preparatory works for acquiring 1,383 ha for the SilverLine, the 529.45-km semi-high-speed rail corridor from Kochuveli to Kasargod.
The Transport Department, while issuing the orders as per the Cabinet nod on June 9, has said around 1,198 ha of the total 1,383 ha to be acquired for the corridor is private property.
Minimum land acquisition (LA) units will be created by the government for the SilverLine and establishment charges, including salary and expense, for these units will be borne by the KRDCL from the funds provided by the government.
LA units has been proposed in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur, and Kasaragod districts.
The Kerala Rail Development Corporation (K-rail) has proposed using Bhoomi Rashi software used by the NHAI for land acquisition.
The government order to proceed with the land acquisition will be issued only after getting the final approval of the Railway Board for the project.
The land, social impact assessment (SIA) and rehabilitation and resettlement will cost ₹11,837 crore and the same is to be borne by the State. The SIA study will be conducted on issuance of 4(1) notification and that an expert committee will be set up to evaluate the SIA report.
The Revenue Department will issue detailed orders on the SIA and setting up of the LA units based on the Cabinet decision. Eighty per cent of land needed has to be acquired to get external funds for the project.
Already ADB, AIIB and JICA had informally confirmed their willingness to provide loan for the SilverLine estimated to cost ₹63,941 crore. The Housing and Urban Development Corporation has already sanctioned a loan of ₹3,000 crore for land acquisition.
