Thiruvananthapuram, The Congress party on Saturday staged a massive protest against the proposed scheme of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for a K-Rail in the capital city.

This came before CPI-M State Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said that this was a project in their election manifesto and it will become a reality.

If completed, the flagship railway project will set up a 529.45 km corridor connecting Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod and the distance will be covered within four hours. The estimated cost is in excess of Rs 64,000 crores.

Before protesting against the project in Thiruvananthapuram, State Congress president K. Sudhakaran said this project will not benefit the state and it is only meant for the CPI-M to pocket commission.

"Another section who will benefit are the family members of the CPI-M leadership. By now itself several posts have been created and the wife of CPI-M Rajya Sabha member John Britas, who is only a very junior staff in Indian Railways is the general manager of K-Rail.

"We don't need to learn the nuances of what's development from Vijayan, who while at the helm of affairs of CPI-M for several years, opposed every developmental infrastructure project like Vizhinjam Port, Kochi Smart City and Airports and every project which are our projects. Can Vijayan name one project which he has started. Vijayan should explain to the people who will benefit from the K-rail project," Sudhakaran said adding that it is strange that while the CPI-M opposes similar projects across India, they are adamant in Kerala to go ahead with it.

Sudhakaran added that he will speak to Congress leader Shashi Tharoor who did not join the party MPs in opposing this project.

Meanwhile, Balakrishnan who is in Delhi to attend the politburo meeting of the CPI-M, said they have already committed to the people in their election manifesto.

"So we are going forward with it and we welcome the decision of Shashi Tharoor as he is speaking the language of the people. There is no difference of opinion in the Left over this proposal, which even CPI secretary Kanam Rajendran has said."

Metroman E. Sreedharan has described this project as one which is ill-conceived, badly planned and poorly handled.

The BJP has also strongly opposed this project.