SilverLine will Fast-track Social and Economic Development in the State: Minister G. Sudhakaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
The SilverLine project, a game-changer in Kerala’s infrastructure growth as well as economic development, is expected to receive the Central Government approval soon. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is pursuing the project with special interest to achieve the same.

The process of Land acquisition for the proposed project is in progress, according to Kerala Public Works Minister G Sudhakaran. The State Cabinet has already given its approval to the Detailed Project Report (DPR), submitted by the project implementing agency Kerala Rail Development Corporation Limited (K-Rail), a joint venture of the Indian Railways and the State Government.

SilverLine will be running parallel to the existing Railway line from Kasaragod to Tirur, while an alternative green-field alignment has been chosen for Tirur- Thiruvananthapuram stretch. Starting from the state capital, SilverLine trains will have stoppages at Kollam, Chengannur, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Tirur, Kozhikode and Kannur before reaching Kasaragod.

The Rs 63,941-crore project is expected to be completed within five years of commencement of the work. The line will be laid through least populated areas in 15-25metre width, so as to limit the acquisition of land to the barest minimum possible. The land required will be acquired as per the RFCTLARR Act 2013 and good compensation will be given. Grievances and concerns of the affected people will be addressed and the project will be implemented only by taking them into confidence, said the Minister. Instructions were issued to resolve the local agitations through consultations by concerned officials. As the construction adjacent to the existing alignment is costly and more structures will have to be removed as per the study, Separate greenfield corridor has been chosen.

The SilverLine corridor connecting Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod in 4 hours will enable running of semi-high speed trains at an operational speed of 200 km per hour in the 529.45 km stretch. These trains will cover the busy Thiruvananthapuram-Ernakulam stretch in one-and-a-half hours.

The DPR of the SilverLine project was prepared by the Paris-based consultant-Systra. The DPR which was submitted to the Union and the State governments for approval was prepared after conducting aerial LiDAR survey, Traffic survey, Environment impact assessment study and geotechnical study.

SilverLine project will help recovery from the economic downturn caused by COVID-19 outbreak and will generate job opportunities during and after the completion phase. This project will also provide plenty of job opportunities to the repatriates returning to Kerala, the Minister said.