Thiruvananthapuram: Despite the central government’s opposition to Kerala’s Silver Line project, there are indications that they may collaborate on a high-speed railway line proposal presented by metroman E. Sreedharan. Sreedharan who contested as the BJP candidate in the Palakkad constituency during the previous assembly elections, is seen as a potential support for the state government in garnering support from the BJP-led Centre. The state government feels that the involvement of Sreedharan could prove beneficial in overcoming political and technical hurdles associated with the project.
Following Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s instructions, Prof. K.V. Thomas, the state government’s special representative in Delhi, held a meeting with E. Sreedharan. This meeting was arranged in response to the Ministry of Railways’ request for an explanation from the Southern Railway division regarding the Silver Line project proposal. The Thiruvananthapuram railway division will discuss with the state government before providing a response to the ministry.
Given the circumstances, the government is considering the possibility of pursuing the proposed high-speed railway line project as an alternative to the SilverLine. In an effort to find a resolution and move forward, the government is willing to make a compromise by embracing the high-speed rail project instead of persisting with the SilverLine, which has been plagued by protests and controversies from the outset.
The concept of developing dedicated high-speed lines stems from the recognition that the existing railway infrastructure lacks the capacity to accommodate high-speed trains effectively. Even the Vande Bharat Express was only able to achieve a maximum speed of 73.5 kmph in Kerala. Reports indicate that the Ministry of Railways has had discussions with K.V. Thomas, and it is understood that the central government does not oppose the idea of high-speed rail. It has been relayed to the Chief Minister as well.
Given the similarity between the proposed alternative rail line and a plan that was previously developed during Oommen Chandy’s government, it is anticipated that the opposition will not present significant objections. By successfully addressing these two major obstacles, the government aims to accelerate the implementation of the project. The SilverLine project was initially envisioned as a Rs 63,000 crore project, with half of the funds expected to be sourced from international loans and 10% relying on central participation through stock purchase and tax relief. However, Sreedharan and other critics argued that the financial structure of this project was not viable.
The envisioned high-speed rail project is estimated to cost Rs 1 lakh crore. Half of this funding will be sought through international loans, while the remaining half will be obtained through a partnership between the central and state governments. Kerala’s share in this partnership would amount to Rs 3,000 crores, which the state will need to procure for the project.
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