A week after the state govt approved the detailed project report (DPR) for the tunnel railway connectivity between Balaramapuram railway station and Vizhinjam International Seaport, the govt has released Rs 339.28 crore as the first instalment for the project. The funds were allocated under the Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment 2024-25. The total cost of the project is Rs 1,482 crore.
According to the order issued by the fisheries and ports department, the amount will be utilised for two key components — Rs 243.08 crore for a railway container yard at Balaramapuram, to be executed by Southern Railway, and Rs 96.20 crore as the first instalment to the Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL) for rail connectivity works.
Govt sources confirmed that funds were already handed over to the Southern Railways and KRCL. With financial backing secured, Southern Railway and KRCL are set to begin preliminary works by next month.
For the railway container yard works, the engineering department has to initiate the tender process. Most likely, this will be handled by the railways’ engineering team from Kochi. Once the ongoing track doubling works are completed at the Balaramapuram station, the container yard work will commence without any delay. KRCL will also initiate work as soon as the necessary paperwork is completed.
According to sources, Balaramapuram railway station will be expanded 500m southward towards Thalayal, where land is available for constructing the container yard and station infrastructure.
The state govt has approved the fund with strict conditions on fund utilisation. The order mandates that the money must be spent exclusively on the designated projects and a utilisation certificate with a detailed expenditure statement must be submitted before further disbursements are made.
Church raises concerns: Even as the rail project progresses concerns have emerged from the local fishing community. The Our Lady of Good Voyage Church authorities, under the Vizhinjam diocese, raised apprehensions about the potential displacement of fishermen if the railway terminal is built at Kottapuram near Vizhinjam fishing harbour. In a statement issued by the church, authorities noted that the state govt has not provided clarity on the railway line alignment.
The church pointed out that constructing a rail terminal at Kottapuram could lead to large-scale displacement of the fisher community. “We have approached the govt to address the concerns of the fishing community, but there has been no positive response so far. A private agency also conducted a study in the area, yet they have not provided a clear answer on the alignment” the church authorities stated. However, they clarified that they are not against the development of the port but insisted that the concerns of the fishermen must be addressed.
