Kochi: The State Government has informed the Kerala High Court that the Vallarpadom transhipment project was a time-bound one and any slight delay in proceeding with the project might cause serious problems.

In an affidavit filed on behalf of the Government, Ernakulam District Collector A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish said rail and road connectivity was prerequisite for implementing the project, which would boost the economy of the State.

The affidavit sought to recall the earlier order of the court directing the authorities concerned to examine the viability of the present rail connectivity to the Vallarpadom project. The affidavit said that the court order would cause calculable damage to the project as a whole, he said. The landowners complained that the second alignment for the rail link passed through Vaduthala, which was a thickly populated area. Besides, it went over more than 2.5 km of the backwaters without any landmass in between and then cut across three newly constructed GIDA bridges, entailing their demolition. So the alignment was impracticable.

Disposing of the landowner's petition, the court observed that before starting the project, the authorities would examine its viability in the light of the contentions made by the petitioner.

The District Collector submitted that in-depth study was conducted and various deliberations were also held before finalising the second alignment as part of providing the rail connectivity to the project site. The second alignment was proceeded with after considering the feasibility and viability of the project, he said.

The affidavit said Southern Railway had considered the viability of the alignment through a Preliminary Engineering and Traffic Survey in 2003. Besides, the Rail Vikas Nigam Limited had conducted a study and submitted a report recommending the alignment. Thereafter the State Government issued notification under Section 4 (1) of the Land Acquisition Act for proceeding with the second alignment.

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