PALAKKAD: ‘Metro Man’ E Sreedharan has said that the proposed K-Rail project will not materialise and that he has submitted an alternative proposal which has been well received by the Kerala government.
Addressing the media here on Saturday, the veteran engineer made it clear: “K-Rail is not going to happen. However, I have provided an alternative proposal, which the Kerala government has found favourable. I discussed it with the chief minister, and he was convinced of its feasibility.
The government is now moving forward with plans to implement it,” Sreedharan told reporters.
According to him, the new proposal is more beneficial than K-Rail and causes minimal disruption to the public. While the project requires approval from the Ministry of Railways, it will be a Union government initiative rather than a state-led one. However, the state government will have a 49% stake in the project.
“The alternative plan has lower environmental impact and requires less land acquisition. It primarily consists of underground and elevated railway corridors,” he said.
If the Centre approves the project, a detailed project report (DPR) will need to be prepared. Sreedharan expressed his preference for the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to execute the project, citing their prior experience and access to relevant data.