Prospects brighten for Thalasserry-Mysuru rail line.

The prospect of a rail corridor from Thalassery to Mysuru has brightened with the government giving the nod to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Limited (DMRC) for a feasibility study of the proposed line.

The government's move to take up the rail line, proposed 57 years ago, and include it on the list of cost-sharing projects between Railways and the State is aimed at all-round development of the Malabar region.

The rail line will also give extended connectivity to the Kannur international airport in Keezhallur grama panchayat and Mattannur municipality.

As per a survey estimate submitted to the railway board, the 247.5-km line between Thalassery and Mysuru via Wayanad will cost Rs. 3,209.01 crore and the 298.75 km via Coorg Rs. 3,778.71 crore.

The cash-strapped Railways did not go ahead with the proposal stating it was unviable.

The environmental concerns over the rail corridor through reserve forests posed another hurdle.

The DMRC’s task will also be to look for a new alignment as the Thalassery-Mysore Rail Line Action Council has pointed out that a corridor via Iritty and Virajpet will be around 145.5 km and will go through only five km of reserve forests. The distance between Thalasserry and Mysuru via road is 193 km.

Accepting the conditions put forward by E. Sreedharan, Principal Adviser, DMRC, the government has given administrative sanction for the feasibility study at an estimate of Rs. 50 lakh.

THE HINDU