KURINJIKAVU Vs. SOUTHERN RAILWAY

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The managing trustee of 'Kurinjikavu', a temple at a place called 'Kurinji', Kottayam District has filed this writ petition complaining of acquisition of temple property in connection with the Sabari Rail Project.

(2.) From the counter affidavit filed by the respondents, we find that the alignment through which the line is to be drawn is one fixed in the conference convened by the Chief Minister of Kerala on 14.5.2013 and that if line is so drawn, only 7 cents of land out of 274 cents of land owned by the temple alone is required to be acquired. This is indicated by the Assistant Executive Engineer of Railway, in his letter dated 7.12007, produced as Ext.R4(1) along with the counter affidavit filed by the Railways. The contents of the letter are extracted below for reference :