Title - Guruvayur-Thirunavaya rail line moves on fresh hope

Nod for survey as per alignment proposed by Railways

Raising fresh hopes of laying a railway line from Guruvayur to Thirunavaya, the government has given the nod for resumption of a survey in Malappuram district as per an alignment proposed by Railways.With this, the authorities will be able conduct survey in Perumbadappu, Nannumukku, Edappal, Marancherry, Kalady, Thavanoor, Thirunavaya, Veliyamkodu and Ezhuvathuruthi villages in the district.Official sources told The Hindu that the formal orders had been issued by the Transport Secretary to commence the survey as per the decision of a meeting convened by Minister for Transport and Power Aryadan Mohammed. The survey was stopped following opposition from the locals.

The orders came as a result of a meeting convened by the Chief Minister in February with the elected representatives of the region to sort out the issue.

A senior Railway official said officials of Railways and Revenue Department would jointly conduct the survey. A meeting of the officials would be held soon to work out the modalities for commencing the survey.

The Railways is still sceptical about the 39 km railway line from Guruvayur to Thirunavaya and foresee opposition from the locals once they resume the survey. Besides Thrissur district, the new line will move along Malappuram district.

It was in 2010 when E. Ahamed was the Union Minister of State for Railways that the proposal for the railway line from Guruvayur to Tanur was altered and it was decided to connect Guruvayur to Thirunavaya on the existing line between Shoranur and Kozhikode.

The public resistance and delay in land acquisition had prevented the 51-km Guruvayur-Tanur railway line project from taking off.

The project, estimated at Rs.138 crore, was sanctioned in 1999 and the funds allocated for the project since 1999-2000 got lapsed.

The Railways decided to go for the project, as proposed in 1995 to connect Guruvayur and Kuttipuram, but dropped it following stiff opposition from the locals and elected representatives.

After studies and examining various alternatives, it was decided to connect Tanur to Guruvayur.

With the commissioning of Vallarpadam container terminal, there is a possibility of laying a coastal line connecting Edappally, Guruvayur and Thirunavaya.


Transport Secretary issues formal orders

First survey stopped due to local opposition