K-Rail to become a reality in near future: Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday said transportation facilities play a major role in the development of a state and the proposed semi-high-speed K-Rail project, which was suspended in the absence of permission from the central government, will become a reality in the near future.

Addressing a business and investment meet in New York as part of the ongoing American Regional Conference of the Loka Kerala Sabha, Vijayan said the state has improved a lot in transportation and connectivity and the fifth international airport in Sabarimala will soon become a reality as the union government has given in-principle nod for it.

Vijayan said the transportation infrastructure in the state has improved after 2016, when the Left Democratic Front formed the government, and it was evident when people saw the "beautiful and well-maintained" roads during the translocation of elephant named Arikomban.

Explaining the expansion of the water transport network in Kerala, Vijayan told the business meeting that the 600-kilometre-long waterway from Kovalam in Thiruvananthapuram to Bekal in Kasaragod district was progressing at a faster pace.

He, however, said Kerala has to improve a lot in rail connectivity and people have welcomed the newly inaugurated Vande Bharat express train.

"In Kerala, trains take a lot of time to cover long distances. When the Vande Bharat express, which is faster, was introduced, people welcomed it," Vijayan said.

He said, however, the Left government's K-Rail project was opposed by a section of the people who pressured the Union government to not give its nod.

Kerala has to improve a lot in rail connectivity.

"But due to some reasons which no one understands, a section of people oppose the rail project and attempt to sabotage it. Some forced the Union government not to give permission for this project. Even though it lacks permission now, the proposed semi-high-speed rail project will become a reality in the near future because transportation facilities are an important factor in the development of the state," Vijayan said.

The chief minister said the IT sector in Kerala was booming and the state has a prominent space in Asia as a hub for start-ups.

"Currently, we have three IT parks in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode. Soon two more will come up in Kollam and Kannur. Along with that, the work on three IT corridors -- Thiruvananthapuram-Kollam, Kochi-Koratti and Kozhikode-Kannur -- is underway and processes like land acquisition have been initiated," Vijayan said.

Calling for more investments, Vijayan said Kerala has become an "investment-friendly state".

"We have four international airports in our small state. The fifth one -- Sabarimala airport -- will soon become a reality as we have received in-principle nod from the Union government. When Arikomban was translocated, channels showed the people the beautiful roads in Kerala," he said.

He also added that last year was observed as an investment year and the government had set a target of one lakh enterprises.

"Some thought it was an impossible target. But within eight months we achieved it and completed the year with over 1,40,000 new businesses. This provides job opportunities to over three lakh people," he said.

Vijayan said only sustainable and environment-friendly investments will be allowed in the state as the nature requires protection.