KOCHI: The Union Ministry of Railways has said that Kerala’s SilverLine semi-high speed rail project requires the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA).
Responding to an RTI query, Avinash, deputy director, Ministry of Railways, Railway Board, also said the consideration of the project will depend upon the techno-economic viability of the project.
“The project is not yet sanctioned. The approval of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs will be required as the project costs more than Rs 1,000 crore,” Avinash, said, in the reply dated February 11 to a query by M T Thomas, an RTI activist.
Further, the proposed share of Indian Railways towards the project cannot be decided at this stage, it said. “All along, the Kerala Rail Development Corporation Ltd and the state government have been saying that the project has received in-principle approval from the Ministry of Railways and accordingly pre-investment activities and even land acquisition can be undertaken up to Rs 100 crore,” Thomas told TNIE.
“Now, it’s explicitly clear that till the CCEA approves the project, KRDCL and the state government cannot proceed with Social Impact Assessment,” he said.