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Thiruvananthapuram: The government decision to continue the social impact study is crucial for K-Rail’s SilverLine project, considering the Centre’s unfavourable stand in the matter.
Most districts did not meet the deadline for completing the social impact study. The period allotted for social impact study in remaining districts will be over by the end of this month. The government will have to re-release the modified notification for the agencies to resume the survey. But no decision has been taken on this so far. Delay in releasing the modified notification will mean that the data collected will be for nothing.
The DPR of the project under the review of the Railway Ministry has not been rejected so far. The Centre has not issued any letter stating that the project is impractical. Under these circumstances, the state government may give the nod to continue the social impact study. K-Rail officials further substantiate this by saying that the state collected the details of the study conducted so far for this purpose. K-Rail officials are optimistic that the notification will be released soon.
According to the Land Acquisition Act of 2013, the social impact study should be completed within six months. The government cannot extend this period. Permission to conduct the study was granted in January. The time frame allowed was 90 to 131 days. However, the study couldn’t be completed within this period due to several unforeseen circumstances.