E Sreedharan proposes alternative to Kerala's SilverLine Semi-High Speed Rail Project

Kasargod, India (Metro Rail Today): The Kerala government's ambitious semi-high-speed rail project, SilverLine, is unlikely to come to fruition, as the Centre has reportedly expressed opposition to the project, according to Metroman Dr. E. Sreedharan.

In a statement to the media on Saturday, Sreedharan, who is renowned for his work on the Delhi Metro, revealed that he had proposed an alternative semi-high-speed rail project to the Kerala government, which received praise from both the state leadership and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

However, Sreedharan added that while the chief minister and the state government were supportive of the proposal, they were unable to publicly endorse it. He suggested that backing the alternative plan would require abandoning the SilverLine project, a move with significant political ramifications.

Sreedharan emphasized that his alternative proposal would be more feasible for Kerala, with lower environmental impacts, less public resistance, and fewer challenges in land acquisition. The project, he explained, would involve constructing the rail line either underground or elevated, requiring only a 20-meter-wide strip of land. After completion, portions of the land could be returned to the owners for agricultural use or grazing, though no residential construction would be allowed.

"For this alternative project to move forward, the state government must first abandon the SilverLine initiative," Sreedharan stated. He further clarified that the two projects could not run in parallel, citing financial constraints and other logistical challenges.

The SilverLine project, a proposed 530 km semi-high-speed rail network connecting various cities in Kerala, has faced significant opposition due to concerns over its environmental impact, land acquisition issues, and the high cost of implementation. With Sreedharan's alternative plan now on the table, the future of the ambitious project remains uncertain.

The debate over the SilverLine project underscores the ongoing challenges in balancing infrastructure development with environmental and public concerns in Kerala.