Lok Sabha Question No. 13 (STARRED), answered on 2022-02-02
Subject: K-Rail (Silver Line) Project
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: N.K. Premachandran, K. Muraleedharan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 13 TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.02.2022

## K-RAIL (SILVER LINE) PROJECT

## *13.   SHRI N. K. PREMACHANDRAN:

- SHRI K. MURALEEDHARAN:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government of Kerala has submitted the K-Rail (Silver Line) project for approval and permission and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  the  Kerala  Government  has  also  furnished  any  environmental study report and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government of Kerala has sought permission from the Union Government for foreign loan for K-Rail project and if so, the total amount and the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Union Government has examined the project in detail and if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether the Union Government has given permission/NOC to Government of Kerala for the start of the work of K-Rail;
- (f) if so, the details thereof and the copy of the orders issued;
- (g) whether it has come to the notice of the Government that protest against K-Rail are going on in Kerala; and
- (h) if so, the action taken to stop the project?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

- (a) to (h)  A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (h)  OF  STARRED QUESTION NO. 13 BY SHRI N. K. PREMACHANDRAN AND SHRI K. MURALEEDHARAN TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 02.02.2022 REGARDING K-RAIL (SILVER LINE) PROJECT.

Detailed Project Report (DPR) of Semi High Speed Rail Project (530.6 Km) from Thiruvananthapuram  to  Kasargod    has  been  submitted    by  Kerala  Rail Development Corporation Limited (KRDCL), a Joint Venture company of State Govt.  of  Kerala  (51%)  and  Ministry  of  Railways  (49%)  to  the  Ministry  for approval.  Cost  of  the  project  has  been  assessed  as ₹ 63,941  Cr.  by  KRDCL. Further, consideration of the project depends upon techno-economic viability of the project.

No, Sir.

Application  for  availing  financing  to  the  tune  of ₹ 33,700  Cr  from  various multilateral funding agencies (JICA, ADB, AII and KfW) has been submitted to Department of Economic Affairs by KRDCL.

State Government of Kerala has approved the DPR and forwarded to Railway Board for obtaining sanction of Central Government.

&  (f)  No,  Sir.  DPR  is  under  examination  by  Ministry  of  Railways.  Sufficient details for technical feasibility are not available in the DPR. Therefore, KRDCL has been advised to provide detailed technical documents such as alignment plan,  particulars  of  railway  land  and  private  land,  crossings  over  existing railway network, duly depicting affected railway asset through Zonal Railway for  detailed  examination  of  the  project  and  to  arrive  at  conclusion  about feasibility of project. Financial viability will also be examined and firmed up after finalisation of technical parameters.

- (g) &  (h)  Yes,  Sir.  Moreover,  Govt.  of  Kerala  has  issued  4(1)  notification  for conducting  Social  Impact  Assessment  (SIA)  Study  report.  The  SIA  Study report will bring out the extent of impact on public in general. Project is not yet  sanctioned.  Consideration  of  the  project  will  depend  upon  technoeconomic viability of the project.

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