Central Government Approves New High-Speed Rail for Kerala, Rejects Silverline; E. Sreedharan to Lead Project

The Union Railway Ministry has officially commenced procedures for the construction of a new high-speed rail line in Kerala, definitively discarding the state government’s proposed Silverline project. The significant task of preparing the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for this ambitious undertaking has been entrusted to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). Reports from Manorama indicate that the project’s operations will be directly overseen by E. Sreedharan, the former principal advisor of DMRC.

Preparations are currently underway to establish a dedicated DMRC office in Ponnani to facilitate the swift coordination of project activities. The envisioned high-speed rail corridor will span 430 kilometers, connecting Thiruvananthapuram to Kannur. The design and construction of this line will aim for a operational speed of 200 kilometers per hour.

E. Sreedharan has provided assurances to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw that the project’s DPR will be finalized and submitted within nine months. This crucial agreement was reached during a recent pivotal meeting between the two officials. A key aspect of the project’s design emphasizes the incorporation of a maximum number of elevated sections and tunnels to minimize any adverse impact on human settlements and the environment.