Pinarayi government counters Centre with state-run RRTS after SilverLine collapse

Thiruvananthapuram: After the much hyped K-Rail's SilverLine semi-high speed rail project mooted by the Kerala government failed to take off, the state government on Wednesday announced a Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) across the state.

The 583 kilometer RRTS across the state between Thiruvananthapuram and Kasargod was given in principle nod by the state cabinet. It will be submitted for the centre's nod.

The fresh move assumed political significance as 'Metro man' E Sreedharan recently said that the centre was actively considering a proposal to set up a high-speed rail corridor between Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur as a better alternative to the SilverLine project.

Hence, the RRTS mooted by the state government could be interpreted as a counter move by the Pinarayai Vijayan government to prevent the BJP government at the centre from staking claims over the high-speed transit project in Kerala.

Kerala had witnessed strong protest by local people as well as environmentalists against the SIlverLine owing to the massive land requirement as well as environmental threats posed by it. The yellow demarcation stones laid for acquiring land for the project had affected scores of families as they found it difficult to sell or avail loans by pledging those properties.

A statement from the chief minister's office said that the K-Rail SilverLine project could not be taken forward as the Indian railways did not give nod for the project citing technical reasons. Moreover, there was local resistance to the project, the statement said.

According to the statement, the RRTS has been proposed along the lines of the Delhi - Meerut RRTS corridor. The traveling speed will be between 160 to 180 kilometres per hour. It will be connected to the existing Kochi metro and the proposed metros in cities like Thiruvananthapuram. In order to minimize land acquisition and to ensure that natural water flow was not affected, elevated viaducts would be used as far as possible.

It will be implemented in a phased manner with the first phase of 284 kilometers expected to be commissioned by 2033 and the entire project completed in 12 years. There is also scope for extending it to neighbouring Mangaluru, Coimbatore and Kanyakumari, the statement said.

The state government hopes to get the support of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs for the project. Of the total cost, the state and centre will share 20 percent each and the remaining 60 percent will be raised as long term loans from international financial institutions. As soon as the centre's nod is received, further steps will be taken, said the statement.