CPM MP John Brittas has urged Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and the Railway Board to reject Southern Railway’s recommendation to surrender funds allocated for key railway projects in Kerala in the 2025–26 Union Budget.
In separate communications addressed to the minister and the chairman of the Railway Board, Brittas raised strong objections to a Southern Railway letter dated May 14, which suggested giving up a significant portion of the sanctioned funds for the Angamali–Sabarimala and Tirunavaya–Guruvayur railway lines.
Calling for urgent action, Brittas sought the immediate dismissal of the proposal and asked for continued financial backing for these essential infrastructure projects in the state.
“These projects, envisaged decades ago, remain unfinished due to persistent institutional apathy, despite their strategic, economic, and socio-cultural significance,” Brittas wrote in his letter to the minister. He described the move as a continuation of the historical neglect towards railway development in Kerala.
He also underlined that the Angamali–Sabarimala project holds national relevance due to the scale of the Sabarimala pilgrimage, while the Tirunavaya–Guruvayur stretch is crucial to enhancing connectivity in north Kerala.
Brittas also highlighted that similar fund surrender proposals have been made for projects in Tamil Nadu, indicating a larger trend of bureaucratic indifference towards railway infrastructure in southern states.
“The decision to surrender funds, ironically justified by citing a ‘frozen’ status, amounts to a perpetuation of neglect rather than an attempt at rectification. It is pertinent to note that the very status of these projects as ‘frozen’ is symptomatic of the broader pattern of railway discrimination against Kerala, where critical demands are either delayed or denied,” the MP stated.
He appealed to the minister to direct the Railway Board to disregard Southern Railway’s suggestions and to take steps to resume, fast-track, and adequately fund these pending projects. “Kerala cannot be expected to wait indefinitely for basic rail infrastructure,” Brittas added.