Describing the proposed SilverLine as a project to put Kerala in huge debt, Senior Congress leader V.M. Sudheeran on Thursday said the State government should not go ahead with the proposal without holding an open hearing to understand public concerns.
Mr. Sudheeran, while addressing a session on ‘Derailing development and environment’ organised in memory of late journalist P. Jibin at the Kozhikode Press Club Hall, pointed out that there was lack of transparency in the whole project which was taken up for speedy execution without conducting proper environment or social impact assessments.
According to Mr. Sudheeran, the government was trying to cover up the particulars in the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for unknown reasons.
“Only an aerial survey was so far conducted to implement such a big project that can displace about 2,000 families in Kerala. Even the Communist Party of India and the Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishad have been found expressing their reservations on the project,” said Mr. Sudheeran.
According to him, the government should have explored the possibilities in developing the existing railway facilities other than going after an “obscure project” that could double the State’s financial burdens and create huge environmental impacts. “A united effort by all party leaders will definitely help achieve our pending demands in railway development,” he said.
