DO WE NEED K RAIL?

Much of a hue and cry is going on across the state about the proposed K Rail project between Thirvananthapuaram and Kaseragod. According to the initial estimate this 530 km rail line may cost about Rs 64,000 crores. The travel time from one end to the other may take about 4 hours only, which is about one third of the existing time of over 11 hours by express trains. The project is said to be completed in five years. The actual ticket charges may be known only after completion of the project. According to Malayalees' habit of strike against anything, which is always led by political parties, one cannot safely estimate the completion time of the project. Since the lenders too will have a say about the ticket rates, that too cannot be predicted now.

Since such huge investment is proposed, large area of land is to be acquired, good number of people are to be displaced one may have to see the economic development expected from this project. Considering the cost of the project, it cannot provide employment to the people in good numbers. It is also not likely to contribute anything significantly towards the GDP per capita.

However, the all important aspect in this huge project is the source of income of the state.  The expenditure of the state gone up by 31.43 per cent from Rs 87,032 Crs in 2015-16 to Rs 1,14,385 Crs in 2019-20. Public debt of the state has reached Rs 2,74,136 Crs. Now the prime issue is whether the state has adequate resources to meet the expenditure and pay back the debt within the stipulated period alongwith the interest. Under this circumstances, is it advisable to go for another huge financial burden, must be seen as common man's apprehension.

While the government is earnestly putting efforts for the development of the state, would it not be preferable to go for a low investment and high return project. Such a project is under the consideration of the government since long and the work is in progress and expected to be completed in two years. Now, if the K-Rail can be kept pending for the time being and divert a meager sum from that to the 520 km waterways and complete it earlier in a larger way the state will have  better economic gain and larger employment potential.

The government may consider the following in this. Provide adequate depth and width throughout the waterway. Most modern, with various facilities and attractive boat jettys to be constructed. Wide varieties of high speed boats like 4 and 6 seaters (car type), 10 and 20 seater, 40 and 60 seater for passengers and different capacities of goods carrier boats can be manufactured here in our state, at least at two places by two different agencies.

 

If this could be arranged, the return is going to be high. Luxurious fast boats shall certainly attract tourists. Doing parallel facilities for tourists in other areas too, we can target an earning of Rs two lakhs crores per annum from tourism. This Waterways will bring down the road traffic heavily and thereby the number of road accident too. Oil, gas and many other items can be transported through waterways. Alongwith this if the government can permit private  agencies to operate passenger cum cargo mini ships between Mangalore and down south of Thiruvananthapuram, it will significantly contribute for the tourism sector of Kerala.

Such low investment and high return projects will help the financial management of the state including early repayment of public debt.

K V George