Pathanamthitta: The Indian Railways has begun surveys to study the possibility of operating Vande Metro trains to Sabarimala by 2030. The Vande Metro is a semi-high-speed train that can travel at speeds of up to 160 km/h. The train will be operated on a new railway line that is being constructed from Chengannur to Pamba.

The new railway line will be 76 km long and most of it will be elevated along the banks of the Pamba river. The project is expected to cost Rs 9,000 crore.

The Railways is moving forward with the project despite criticism that it is a waste of money to build a railway line that will be used only during the Sabarimala pilgrimage season. The Railways argues that the new line will be needed in the future as traffic congestion on the roads to Sabarimala is expected to increase significantly in the next 30 years.

The LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) survey and soil testing for the new railway line is currently underway. The Detailed Project Report (DPR) is expected to be ready by December. The Railways estimates that it will take two years for the approval of the union forest and environment departments and the union cabinet. The land for the new line will have to be acquired by the state government. If all these processes are completed on time, the Railways believes that construction can begin in three years and turn operative in 2030.

It may be noted that the Angamaly-Erumeli Sabari Rail project, conceived at least 25 years ago, has been shelved. The state complied with all stipulated conditions, including bearing half of the construction cost. An allocation of Rs 2,000 crore has been announced by the state. The railway minister previously indicated his willingness to consider a revised estimate, but no updates have been provided in this regard. Kerala has made four revisions to the estimate, and the latest will soon be submitted to the Railway Board by the railway finance department. The project was put on hold despite a Rs 100 crore allocation in the last budget.