Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, has decided that the state will bear 50 per cent of the cost of the Thiruvananthapuram–Angamaly–Erumeli Sabarimala railway project and provide ₹1,900 crore through the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB). The decision will be communicated to the Union Railway Ministry.

The total estimated cost of the project is ₹3,800.9 crore. About 303.58 hectares of land will have to be acquired, and directions have already been issued to initiate the acquisition process.

The 111.48-kilometre-long Sabarimala railway line has remained stalled for 25 years due to land acquisition hurdles and lack of adequate funds. As part of implementing the project, the possibility of extending the line to the Punalur–Thiruvananthapuram route will also be examined.

Railway line will be implemented: Ashwini Vaishnaw

In New Delhi, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told the Lok Sabha, in reply to questions raised by Congress MPs K C Venugopal and Anto Antony, that the Sabarimala railway project would be implemented with the participation of the Kerala government.

Meanwhile, responding to a submission raised by Guruvayur MLA N K Akbar, Minister V Abdurahiman said that the Railway Board has withdrawn its decision to freeze the Guruvayur–Tirunavaya railway line.