Kerala high-speed rail: Govt forms expert panel to examine Sreedharan's proposal

'Metro Man' E Sreedharan’s proposal for a high-speed railway corridor from Thiruvananthapuram to Kannur has got the Kerala government’s backing as the ruling UDF has constituted an expert committee to examine it based on an interim report submitted by the DMRC.

According to a government order issued by the Transport Department, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has prepared and submitted an interim report for the proposed Kerala High-Speed Railway (KHSR), which will cover 473.2 kilometres between Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur, with 23 stations along the route.

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According to the proposal, the journey between the two cities will take around three hours and 30 minutes. The project is designed as a double-line corridor, largely elevated, with approximately 6.5 kilometres of tunnelling in Thiruvananthapuram.

The railway will use standard gauge tracks and have a maximum design speed of 200 kmph, with trains operating at speeds of up to 180 kmph. Services are proposed at intervals of 20 to 40 minutes, with an estimated daily passenger capacity of 54,000.

The government has also directed NSK Umesh, Officer on Special Duty to the Chief Minister, to assist the Transport Secretary and facilitate the functioning of the committee.

Panel's task

The panel has been tasked with carrying out a comprehensive examination of the proposal, including its technical feasibility, financial viability, environmental implications, implementation challenges and potential socio-economic benefits to the state.

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The committee has been asked to submit its remarks and recommendations to the government within three weeks, the order said.

The constitution of the expert panel follows recent consultations between Sreedharan and Chief Minister VD Satheesan on the proposed high-speed rail network for the state.

The UDF government had earlier shelved the controversial SilverLine project proposed by the previous LDF regime.

At the same time, Satheesan had indicated that Kerala would require an efficient mass transit system for future mobility needs and that alternative models would be examined through detailed studies.