Thiruvananthapuram-Kasaragod Semi High-Speed Rail (SilverLine) Project is a proposed flagship project of the ruling LDF government in Kerala. The semi high-speed railway corridor will connect Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod, thereby enhancing the state's railway infrastructure and economic growth. The project received a major push after Kerala Government formally gave a green signal for land acquisition.
Key Highlights:
1- The project is aimed at reducing travel time between the state's northern and southern ends.
2- It is proposed to be 529.45 km long, covering 11 districts via 11 stations.
3- It will reduce the travelling time from the current 12 hours to four hours.
4- The project is executed by the Kerala Rail Development Corporation Limited (KRDCL) and is expected to be completed by 2025.
5- It is a joint venture between the State Government of Kerala and the Union Ministry of Railways.
6- The corridor is expected to be constructed using equity funds from Kerala Government, Centre and loans from multilateral lending agencies.
7- The estimated cost of the project is Rs. 63,940 crores.
8- As per the feasibility study, 79,934 passengers are expected to travel per day, once the corridor becomes operational.
Need for the project
The existing railway infrastructure is not amenable to faster travel as most trains in Kerala run at an average speed of 45 km/hr, amongst the lowest of all the regions in India, due to an excessive number of level crossings and sharp curves.
The project, once realised, may take a significant load of traffic off the existing railway stretch. It will also make travelling from the southern end of the state (Thiruvananthapuram) to its northern end (Kasaragod) easier and faster for commuters.
Furthermore, it will reduce the congestion on roads significantly, and help reduce accidents and fatalities.
Features of the project
1- The corridor will have EMU type trains with preferably nine cars and extendable to twelve cars each.
2- A nine-car rake can seat a maximum of 675 passengers in business and standard class settings.
3- The trains will run at a maximum speed of 220 kmph on a standard gauge track.
4- A total of 11 stations are proposed. It will include two terminals (three elevated, one underground, and the remaining at grade).
5- Under passages with the provision of service roads every 500 metres of the corridor.
6- As per the claims made by the government, the project will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, expand RORO services, produce employment opportunities, integrate airports and IT corridors and faster development of cities it passes through.
7- It will reduce fuel consumption, mitigate noise, and rejuvenate abandoned paddy fields.
8- It will provide 50,000 direct employment during the construction period and 10,000 employment opportunities post-operation period.
9- It will have special facilities for differently-abled passengers such as extra wide gates, wheelchair docking facilities in every coach, tactile paths and so on.
10- CCTV surveillance in trains and stations, customer care facility, security staff in all stations, Zero tolerance towards drunkards and trouble makers, and feeding rooms for women passengers.
Alignment of the project
As per the DPR, the railway line will begin from Thiruvananthapuram, have stations in Kollam, Chengannur, Kottayam, Ernakulam (Kakkanad), Cochin Airport, Thrissur, Tirur, Kozhikode, Kannur and will end in Kasaragod.
The station at Kozikhode will be underground, at Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Thrissur will be elevated, and the rest at grade.
Present Status of the project
A total of 1,383 hectares needed to be acquired which will include large tracts of wetlands, forest areas, backwater regions, residential areas with a high density of population, rice fields, and existing building spaces.
The state cabinet has given a go-ahead for the land acquisition of the project. Additionally, administrative sanction to get Rs. 2,100 crore from KIIFB has also been approved by the cabinet.
Criticism of the project
The government initially announced that the upcoming corridor would be constructed parallel to the existing line but the present alignment at many locations is up to four km away from the existing line which will result in large-scale land acquisition.
The environmentalists are opposing the project as it can prove to be unimaginably disastrous to the fragile ecology of the region. The project may also trigger floods and landslides in the future. The Kerala Paristhithi Aikya Vedi has called on the government to abandon the project and explore sustainable solutions.
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