24x7 work and no holiday: Pinarayi sets 2-year target for SilverLine

Project to be divided into 5 stretches; land acquisition to be over in 2 years; Pinarayi says thrust is on eco-friendliness of the project
24x7 work and no holiday: Pinarayi sets 2-year target for SilverLine

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An ambitious target of two years has been set by the state government to complete the work on the 530km-long SilverLine semi high-speed rail line. The project will be divided into five stretches and round-the-clock work on 365 days will be ensured to complete construction before the deadline, said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. He was inaugurating the Janasamksham programme, an interaction on SilverLine with social and cultural leaders, here on Tuesday.

Setting a two-year time frame for land acquisition, Pinarayi said the project can be completed by 2025. It was conceived in 2018. As per the detailed project report, 9,300 buildings need to be acquired for the project and the government has set aside Rs 13,265 crore for compensation. During the interaction, the CM took the allegations levelled by the protestors and Opposition head on and answered them.

“There is no basis for the campaign that SilverLine will divide Kerala into two. Every 500 metres, there will be an overbridge or underpass. Around 25% of the line will be on pillars or through tunnels,” he said.
On the allegation that the construction would lead to floods, Pinarayi said, “Even the existing rail line is on embankments and that hasn’t created any flood. All natural tributaries and drainage lines to discharge water will be protected,” he said.

The CM gave thrust to the eco-friendliness of the project. “Among all transport systems, the railways is the least polluting. This line doesn’t pass through any ecologically fragile regions or through wildlife reserves. It doesn’t block the path of rivers and tributaries. To protect wetland and paddy land, pillars will support 88km of the line,” he said. On the reduction in carbon emission, the CM said consumption of fossil fuel worth Rs 500 crore will be reduced if SilverLine is realised.

Vested interests opposing SilverLine: CM

While ensuring that clearing the concerns of the affected people is the duty of the government, the CM said there were vested interests behind the opposition to the project. He cited the NH development programme which faced strong opposition as an example and said in the district where the opposition was the strongest, only three people challenged the acquisition and others happily agreed to the rehabilitation package. “People won’t be troubled and their grievances would be listened to.

It’s our policy. But we need to carry forward the development of the state. If any forces with vested interests try to prevent that, the government won’t yield to their pressure. If we do, that will be like compromising the state’s interest,” said Pinarayi. The CM will address similar meetings in Kochi and Kozhikode in the coming days.

Semi high-speed rail

530km is the total length of SilverLine semi high-speed rail line

Rs 64,000 cr is the total cost of the project

Rs 13,265 cr has been set aside by the state government for compensation

9,300 buildings need to be acquired for the project

4 hrs a train will take to run from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod

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