THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The proposed Thiruvananthapuram-Kasaragod Semi-High Speed Rail (SHSR) corridor project has received in-principle approval from the Centre. The order in this regard was issued by the Ministry of Railways on Tuesday.
Kerala Rail Development Corporation Ltd (K-Rail), the implementing agency of the 540-Km double-line project, had submitted its proposal to the Railways for the construction of the third and fourth lines between Thiruvananthapuram and Kasaragod.
A joint venture of the state government and Railways ministry, semi-high speed rail, called Silverline, envisages the most affordable solution for the state’s transportation woes as it is expected to reduce travel time between Thiruvananthapuram and Kasaragod to four hours from the current 12.
“This (in-principle) approval marks an important milestone in the implementation of this grand project,” said V Ajith Kumar, KRDCL managing director. The state cabinet has approved the project after a year-long feasibility study conducted by the KRDCL.
The state government is going ahead with its efforts to mobilise investment for the project. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, during his recent visit to Japan, had held discussions in this regard.
Trains, which will go through 11 districts, will run at a speed of 200 km per hour. The project is estimated to cost Rs 56,443 core, but this may escalate to Rs 66,079 crore by the end of its completion, experts point out.
During its implementation, the project is expected to generate 50,000 jobs and employ 11,000 on completion.Besides being a boon to the passengers, the corridor is expected to serve as a major pathway for freight transport.