Railway Retracts Rs 100 Crores Allocated for Sabari Rail Project Amid Funding Uncertainty

The Railway Board has decided to retract the earmarked Rs 100 crores from the Union budget 2023-24, intended for the Angamaly-Sabarimala Sabari rail project. The decision comes in response to the Southern Railway’s delay in progressing the project over the past four years, raising doubts about the feasibility of utilizing the allocated funds. Last month, the Southern Railway had sought a consent letter from the state, urging them to contribute 50 percent of the revised estimate amounting to Rs 3,810.69 crores for the project. However, the state government’s lack of response to this request has prompted the Railway Board to withdraw the allocated funds. Notably, the state had initially agreed to contribute to the project cost, setting aside Rs 2000 crores through the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB).

This turn of events raises questions about the future of the Sabari rail project and underscores the challenges posed by funding uncertainties and interagency coordination. With the withdrawal of the allocated funds, the fate of the railway project connecting Angamaly to Sabarimala hangs in the balance, highlighting the need for swift resolution and collaborative efforts between the Railway Board and the state government to ensure the timely and successful execution of this crucial infrastructure initiative.