Silverline survey to use geotagging technology

KOCHI: Ater a two month sabbatical, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan gave green signal for the Kerala Rail Development Corporation Limited (K-rail) to restart the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) for the Silverline, the semi high speed rail corridor connecting state capital Trivandrum to the northern-most district of Kasaragod. Following violent protest campaigns against the stone laying survey, the SIA was halted two months back.

The decision to proceed with the project groundwork was taken two weeks ater receiving the concerned file from the Revenue department which felt the need for a political decision on the issue and a sanction by the chief minister. According to reports, before taking a final decision on the mater, chief minister consulted his party to make sure public support for the ambitious project.

The new notification is expected to be out by next week, paving the way for the resumption of the survey as part of the social impact study.

The survey will utilise geotagging technology instead of laying survey stones, which invited violent reactions from the local people affected by the project.

The Revenue department has already handed over the drat notification to the Law department this regard.

With the Advocate General (AG) earlier giving legal advice in favour of resuming the social impact study, the Ministry of Law and Justice just has to complete the formality of going through the drat. The Revenue department has received legal advice that the further action for SIA can be entrusted with the agencies which earlier carried out the study.

Though the tenure of the agencies as per the tender notice has expired, there was no need for calling a new tender and that they could be assigned the job given that the study had reached the halfway stage, according to legal advice received from AG.

The tenure of the agency entrusted with initial survey proceedings at Kannur district ended on June 29, and that of the agency tasked with the final section of the study at Malappuram district expired on July 30.