No permission for SilverLine; govt move to acquire land immature

Kochi: The Centre informed the High Court that all land acquisition measures by the state government are immature since the SilverLine project has not yet received the final nod. In the affidavit filed by Assistant Solicitor General S Manu, it is stated that the social impact study being conducted by the government for the project has not received the approval.

Though the railways has 49 per cent share, K-Rail is an independent company. The central government does not interfere in the day-to-day activities of such companies. The money spent on the survey by K-Rail is ultimately its own responsibility. At the same time, according to the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, the state government need not get the Centre’s approval to conduct such a survey. The explanation was given based on the High Court’s instruction in the case that was filed questioning the conduct of survey.

The petition filed against laying of survey stones is under the consideration of a single bench.