Kerala Begins Land Acquisition For Angamali-Sabarimala New Line

12 Feb 2026 CW Team

A survey of an alternate Chengannur-Pamba alignment of 75 km was carried out but the route was not found feasible. The estimated cost of the Angamali-Sabarimala project was revised at Rs 3,801 crore, which converts to Rs 38,010 million (mn), and the estimate was submitted to the Government of Kerala for acceptance and willingness to share the cost. Kerala provided conditional consent in August 2024 and the Ministry requested unconditional consent and urged the State to commence land acquisition using its share of 50 per cent so that work can proceed.

Following those exchanges the Government of Kerala has initiated land acquisition proceedings and the Ministry of Railways continues to monitor and follow up the process. Recent budget allocations for infrastructure and safety works that fall fully or partly in Kerala have increased markedly. The annual outlay for the 2009–14 period was Rs 372 crore per year, equivalent to Rs 3,720 million (mn) per year, while the allocation for 2025–26 is Rs 3,042 crore, equivalent to Rs 30,420 million (mn), representing more than eight times the earlier outlay.

Tirur presently receives 90 train services and recent operational changes have included provision of stoppages for express services with effect from January 27 and January 28, 2026 to enhance connectivity. Under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme 1,337 stations have been identified for development and work at 172 stations has been completed to date, covering stations across multiple States. The information was provided by the Union Minister for Railways in a written reply to questions in the Rajya Sabha.

The Ministry of Railways said it is following up land acquisition with the Government of Kerala to progress the Angamali-Sabarimala new line project. The scheme via Erumeli was sanctioned in 1997–98 and initial work addressed the Angamali-Kaladi section covering seven kilometre (km) and long lead works on the Kaladi-Perumbavoor stretch of 10 km. Further construction was halted and the project was kept in abeyance in September 2019 after local protests over land acquisition and alignment, court cases and limited support from the State government. A survey of an alternate Chengannur-Pamba alignment of 75 km was carried out but the route was not found feasible. The estimated cost of the Angamali-Sabarimala project was revised at Rs 3,801 crore, which converts to Rs 38,010 million (mn), and the estimate was submitted to the Government of Kerala for acceptance and willingness to share the cost. Kerala provided conditional consent in August 2024 and the Ministry requested unconditional consent and urged the State to commence land acquisition using its share of 50 per cent so that work can proceed. Following those exchanges the Government of Kerala has initiated land acquisition proceedings and the Ministry of Railways continues to monitor and follow up the process. Recent budget allocations for infrastructure and safety works that fall fully or partly in Kerala have increased markedly. The annual outlay for the 2009–14 period was Rs 372 crore per year, equivalent to Rs 3,720 million (mn) per year, while the allocation for 2025–26 is Rs 3,042 crore, equivalent to Rs 30,420 million (mn), representing more than eight times the earlier outlay. Tirur presently receives 90 train services and recent operational changes have included provision of stoppages for express services with effect from January 27 and January 28, 2026 to enhance connectivity. Under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme 1,337 stations have been identified for development and work at 172 stations has been completed to date, covering stations across multiple States. The information was provided by the Union Minister for Railways in a written reply to questions in the Rajya Sabha.

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