Kochi:  The Railway Board has informed the Kerala High Court that the acquisition of land by the state government for the SilverLine semi high-speed railway project at the present stage was an immature decision.

Moreover, the Board told the court that the Kerala Rail Development Corporation Ltd (K-Rail) – the implementing agency of the project – alone would be responsible if it spent funds to carry out a social impact study for SilverLine.

The High Court was further informed that the Railways had not approved the social impact study and survey being carried out by Kerala Government under the laws related to acquisition of land after paying fair compensation.

“The Central Government has no role in the land acquisition measures being implemented by the state government,” said the affidavit filed by the Railway Board before the High Court.

Assistant Solicitor General S Manu had submitted the affidavit on behalf of the Railway Board in response to a petition filed before the court by Muraleekrishnan, a resident of Kottayam, and some others.

The petition had questioned the validity of the ongoing survey regarding SilverLine.