K-Rail survey stones laid at protest site in surprise move

Activists caught unawares as officials return with bigger police force

A day after being forced to turn away from laying the survey stones for the proposed 540-km-long semi high-speed railway project, SilverLine, in Parakkadavu block panchayat in Ernakulam district in the face of popular protest, the project authorities returned with an even bigger police team and laid 20-odd survey stones at Triveni, ward 16 of the panchayat, on Thursday morning.

Not expecting the authorities to return immediately despite the stiff protest a day before, only a few activists of the K-Rail Virudha Janakeeya Samithi were present at the time. The few, who protested, were easily removed by the police. The survey stones were laid mainly on paddy fields in the area. “Parakkadavu panchayat marks the entry point of the project in the district. It mainly passes through ward 16 and parts of wards 17 and 18. About 50 houses will be lost in addition to numerous plots and farm lands,” said Nithin Saju, member of ward 16 and patron of the K-Rail Virudha Samithi.

Members of wards 17 and 18 are also part of the samithi.