Southern Railway raises red flag for Kerala's SilverLine citing hindrance for future development: Report
The SilverLine project aims to streamline transportation between the northern and southern ends of the state, significantly cutting down the total travel time to less than 4 hours. Furthermore, the Southern Railway emphasizes that the Silver Line project is likely to have adverse effects on existing railway constructions and train services.
FollowThiruvananthapuram: The Southern Railway has raised concerns about the Silver Line, a flagship project of the Pinarayi Vijayan government, in a report submitted to the Central Railway Board. The report raises a red flag, citing issues with the current alignment, which was decided without proper consultation. According to the report, this could pose a significant obstacle to future rail development in the region.
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Furthermore, the Southern Railway emphasizes that the Silver Line project is likely to have adverse effects on existing railway construction and train services. The report contends that the implementation of the Silver Line could potentially impose a financial burden on the railways. These concerns and observations have been communicated to the Railway Board through the report. Additionally, the Railways have underscored their inability to release land for the Silver Line project.
Around 183 hectares of land is required for the Silverline project. A good part of this has been earmarked for development purposes. Moreover, it has not considered the impact on train services and the problems of re-constructing railway structures. The report also states that the project cost will be borne by the railways as well and there will be an additional financial burden.
The 529.45 km SilverLine corridor, linking Kasaragod and Thiruvananthapuram, boasts an operating speed of 200 kmph. This ambitious project aims to streamline transportation between the northern and southern ends of the state, significantly cutting down the total travel time to less than 4 hours. This is a substantial improvement compared to the current travel duration of 10 to 12 hours. The corridor features intermediate stations at key locations, including Kollam, Chengannur, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Kochi Airport, Thrissur, Tirur, Kozhikode, and Kannur.
The SilverLine project spans a length of 529.45 kilometers and is designed to operate at an impressive speed of 200 kmph. With this configuration, the anticipated travel time between Kasaragod and Thiruvananthapuram is expected to be approximately 4 hours, a significant reduction from the current 10 to 12 hours. However, this expedited connectivity comes at a substantial cost, with the projected project cost upon completion amounting to Rs 63,940.67 Crores.
