Ernakulam: The social impact assessment for the Kerala government's proposed Silverline semi high-speed rail project was disrupted in Ernakulam district on day one on Sunday.
A team of social impact assessment (SIA) surveyors from the Rajagiri College of Social Sciences was forced to return without fulfilling the task following protests by the local people at Puliyanath, Elavoor. The protest was organised by the Janakeeya Samara Samithi.
The study team could not allow to collect opinions from local residents even though they were accompanied by a police team.
The proposed rail alignment goes through three wards of Puliyanam Parakkadavu panchayat. As many as 58 houses on the alignment will have to be demolished for the project. The alignment also goes through paddy fields at the village.
The Elavoor area in the village was flooded twice in the recent years.
Villagers here have been protesting against the project ever since survey procedures started. Survey marker stones were uprooted by the protesters.
The SIA wing of the Rajagiri College has been entrusted with the task of carrying out the social impact study in Ernakulam, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha districts. The draft report of the study has to be submitted to the authorities within three months.
Kerala has been witnessing agitations by people likely to affected by the project. The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the BJP have been backing the people's protests ever since the K-Rail authorities began erecting yellow pillars on identified plots as part of what the government claims to be a formality prior to the social impact assessment.
The government asserts the 530-km rail stretch from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod would be beneficial for future generations, result in economic development, and reduce carbon emissions every year by around 2.8 lakh tonnes.
Starting from the state capital, SilverLine trains would have stoppages at Kollam, Chengannur, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Tirur, Kozhikode and Kannur before reaching Kasaragod in four hours.
