New Delhi [India], June 3 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Union government has increased Kerala's railway budget from an average of Rs 372 Crore (2009-14) to Rs 3,042 crore in the financial year 2025-26, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Tuesday.

'PM Narendra Modi Ji has increased Kerala's railway budget from an average Rs372 Cr (2009-14) to Rs3,042 Cr in FY 2025-26. We are working on 3rd and 4th line from North to South Kerala, so that both passengers and cargo can move by rail,' Vaishnaw said in a post X.

https://x.com/AshwiniVaishnaw/status/1929825539822436631

Vaishnaw said that he discussed key projects with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and sought his support for land acquisition, especially for Angamaly-Erumeli railway project and Road Over Bridges (ROB) and Road Under Bridges (RUB) being sanctioned.

The Angamaly-Erumeli railway project, also known as Sabari rail project was first proposed in the Railway Budget of 1997-98. The land acquisition for the project was completed too. The Kerala CM has earlier said that the expansion of the Sabari rail project would provide a significant boost to Kerala's development, while also suggesting that it could be extended in the future to connect Vizhinjam.

In December, an official statement from the Kerala CM's office said that the project would be implemented in two phases with an expanded approach, with the state government requesting the Centre's approval, and 50 per cent of the cost of the project will be borne by the state government.

The section's plan included the construction of two flyovers and two underpasses. However, land acquisition notifications have now been issued for the next 70 km. A letter from the Railways dated 26.09.2019 informed the state government that the project had been frozen, leading to a halt in further construction activities, including the flyovers.

Although the project initially began with full funding from the Railways, on January 7, 2021, the Kerala Government conveyed to the Central Government its readiness to bear 50 per cent of the project cost, then estimated at Rs 2,815 crore, through Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB). (ANI)