Kerala's Silver Line semi-high speed rail project identified for development: Vaishnaw

A Semi-High Speed Rail project worth Rs 6,3941 crore and stretching 531 kilometres from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasargod has been identified by Kerala Rail Development Corporation Limited (KRDCL) for development, noted Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on Friday.

Vaishnaw was answering a question on whether Kerala Government has approached the Central Government with a Semi-High Speed Rail project "Silver Line" between Thiruvananthapuram to Kasargod.

KRDCL is a Joint Venture company of Kerala Government (51 per cent) and Ministry of Railways (49 per cent) explained Vaishnaw.

The rail minister added that after conducting a survey, KRDCL has prepared a detailed project report and assessed the cost at Rs 63,941 crore.  

"Further, consideration of the project depends upon techno-economic viability of the project," wrote Vaishnaw. He added that this stage the source of funding for the project cannot be ascertained.

On December 6, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to sanction this project.

In the letter, Vijayan had stated that the Silver Line semi-high speed rail from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod will not only benefit the state of Kerala, but also the nation

Vijayan had said that the Kerala government has already agreed to meet the entire land acquisition cost of Rs 13,700 crore.

"The state government has also agreed in-principle to meet the liability arising from any default on external debt obligation undertaken by the Kerala Rail Development Corporation Ltd (K-Rail) for the project," Vijayan had written.

The Chief Minister's letter to PM Modi noted that this project was discussed in July with Vaishnaw who had expressed concern in sanctioning the same due to the present financial position of the Indian Railways.

The letter had been sent amid strong criticism by the Congress-led opposition to the ambitious project of the Vijayan's government.

Apart from the heavy criticisms, a plea has been moved in the Kerala High Court alleging that the state government was carrying out land acquisition proceedings for the Silver Line project without sanction of the Centre or other appropriate authorities.

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