KOCHI: Everything seems in loco, for now. In what is expected to be a major boost to Kerala’s rail infrastructure, the Centre has approved a high-speed rail corridor in the state, with ‘Metro Man’ E Sreedharan set to lead the initial paperwork for the project.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has been entrusted with preparing the detailed project report (DPR), which according to Sreedharan will be completed within nine months.
The move follows a meeting between Sreedharan and Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in Delhi on January 16. Sreedharan had earlier met Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and presented the proposal.
The new plan effectively overrides the controversial SilverLine project, with Sreedharan asserting that the proposed corridor will be fundamentally different in design and execution.
Speaking to TNIE, Sreedharan said the new corridor will have stations every 20-25km and trains running every five minutes, with speeds of up to 200 km/h.
He said the project, once completed, will ease the transport woes in the state, which has among the highest road accident rates in the country.
Highlighting key differences, Sreedharan said land acquisition will not be a major hurdle as the proposed project will require only one-third of land envisaged for SilverLine.
Nearly 70-75% of the corridor will be elevated, with a portion below ground. He added that under the new land-acquisition policy, land beneath elevated stretches can be returned to owners for agricultural use or grazing on lease.
The proposed route will largely follow the existing railway line from Thiruvananthapuram to Kollam, after which it will pass through areas without existing tracks, up to Kannur.
The first phase is planned from Thiruvananthapuram to Kannur, with provisions for extension to Kasaragod and Mangaluru, and even up to Mumbai.
K V Thomas, special representative of the state government at New Delhi, said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan gave his nod for the project when Sreedharan met him. “The delay happened due to the reluctance of the railway ministry to give the go-ahead. However, now that the approval has come through and DPR preparation is being undertaken, the state government welcomes the development,” he added.
The corridor will be modelled on regional rapid transit systems (RRTS), such as the Delhi-Meerut line, with lighter trains on standard gauge capable of speeds of up to 200 km/h. Sreedharan said the commercial speed will be around 135 km/h, enabling travel between Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur in three-and-a-half hours. On funding, Sreedharan said the project will follow the Konkan Railway model, with the Centre and the state contributing 51% and 49% respectively.
Future On Wheels
Key provisions and highlights of project
DPR to be readied in nine months
Top speed 200 km/h; commercial speed to be 135 km/h
Estimated cost C1 lakh crore
First phase will be from T’Puram to Kannur
Provision for extension till Mumbai
Project to be modelled on Konkan Railway
Centre to bear 51% and state 49% of cost
Standard gauge line
Stations every 20-25km
70-75% of line elevated