Title - ‘Rail corridor may face resistance’

Considering the high density of population and limited land area, the people of the Union Territory (UT) region of Mahe will, in all probability, oppose Kerala’s plan to route the proposed High Speed Rail Corridor through the UT, Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office V. Narayanasamy has said.

The Minister was talking to mediapersons after inaugurating a series of development works here on Saturday.

A delegation would meet Chief Minister Oommen Chandy to seek alterations in the alignment of the proposed line.

Mr. Narayanasamy said he had earmarked Rs.1.25 crore out of his MP fund of Rs.5 crore for development activities in Mahe. This included Rs.40 lakh for the renovation of Tagore Park and Rs.45 lakh for a new building of Government Lower Primary School, Palloor North. The extension of the riverside walkway till the beach would be get Rs.40 lakh, he said.

The Minister said Rs.2.5 crore had been sanctioned for repair of the national highway stretch passing through Mahe. The work would commence before the next monsoon. A desalination plant would be set up using Rs.5 crore with the support of the Department of Atomic Energy, he said.

The defects of the Mahe bridge would be rectified. The proposal to construct a new bridge would also be examined, he said.

The Minister flagged off the Mangalore Central - Puducherry express (train number 16858) at the Mahe railway station. Addressing a gathering there, he said with the launch of the service, Mahe would have two trains connecting Puducherry. Another would be added in 2014. The Mangalore - Coimbatore intercity express and the Yeshwantpur - Kannur Express would stop at Mahe from October, he added.

The Minister said that he would seek early clearance for land allocation for a Kendriya Vidyalaya. The Home Ministry usually provided land on lease for a maximum of 19 years and as Kendriya Vidyalaya was seeking a 99-year lease, a special request would be made. Village Resource Centre by ISRO

The Minister inaugurated a Village Resource Centre established by the Indian Space Research Organisation at the Fisheries compound at Poozhithala. This would help the local population get the benefits of tele- medicine and education facilities. Fishermen would also get information on the availability of fish and weather.

Mr. Narayanasamy, who is also Member, Space Commission, said the country would launch its first rocket to Mars next month.