Trivandrum: Kerala cabinet has given its approval for the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the Thiruvananthapuram-Kasaragod Semi High Speed Rail corridor, Silver Line. While giving its green signal to the project today, the Cabinet made minor changes to the alignment proposed in the DPR submitted by the implementing agency Kerala Rail Development Corporation Ltd (K-rail), a joint venture of the Indian Railways and the Kerala Government.
The feasibility report of the project had proposed the line to pass through Mahe. But as per the changes made by the Cabinet, the line will be skipping Mahe. While the Kasargod- Tirur stretch of Silver Line will run parallel to the existing railway, the Tirur- Thiruvananthapuram section will deviate from the present one.
Silver Line will have stations at Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Chengannur, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Cochin Airport, Thrissur, Tirur, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod. The cost of the project is estimated to be Rs 63,941 crore. It is expected to be completed in five years. The DPR will now go for the approval of Railway Board, NITI Aayog and the Union Cabinet. The project has already received the in-principle approval from the Ministry of Railways.
“Besides fast-tracking the state’s overall development, the project will impart greater momentum to the economic activity in the post-COVID recessionary phase. It will generate a lot of jobs during and after its completion, and offer plenty of opportunities to NRKs returning home,” V Ajith Kumar, Managing Director, K-rail, said.
Apart from throwing up plenty of direct and indirect job opportunities, it will also lead to the emergence of employment hubs related to a wide range of economic and commercial activities. The project will also boost tourism, which is a prime source of income for the state.