Sreedharan expos©' on Wayanad rail lands CPM in a fix

KOZHIKODE: The exit of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) principal advisor E. Sreedharan from the Light Metro projects and his exposé of the Nilambur-Nanjangud rail project has triggered off a row over the failure of the state government in releasing Rs 2 crore for the preparation of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the Nilambur-Nanjangud railway line through Wayanad.

Mr Sreedharan had revealed that since his negative report on the Thallassery-Mysore railway project as ‘unviable’, he had been harassed by certain elements of the government.  Sources in the ministry also said that chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan had been showing “shadowy interest” in Thallassery-Mysore railway project. Moreover the state government even kept aside the Nilambur-Nanjangud railway project against the other project.

In an order dated February 12, 2017, transport secretary K. R. Jyothilal had sanctioned Rs 8 crore for DMRC and immediate release of Rs 2 crore as the first installment.

The order said that DMRC had consented to prepare the DPR for '8 crore and the company requested the release of Rs 2 crore plus service tax  immediately to commence the work. The second paragraph of the order says that Rs 2 crore is released to DMRC account at SBI, Ernakulam branch. But the amount is yet to reach the account, it is learned. 

Nilgiri-Wayanad Railway and National Highway action council feels that the move to keep out DMRC from the mega projects of the state started then.  Even after the order of the transport secretary, some vested interests in the finance department prevented the release of funds for the Wayanad Railway project, said T.M. Rasheed, action council convener.

Starting with the survey in 1882, the Nilambur- Nanjangode railway line has been a point of discussion in rail circles for more than a century. The last survey was conducted in 2004 and the railway board had submitted the report to the planning commission after detailed perusal.