Lok Sabha Question No. 594 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-03
Subject: Semi-High Speed Rail Project in Kerala
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Adv. Adoor Prakash

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 594

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.12.2025

## SEMI-HIGH SPEED RAIL PROJECT IN KERALA

## 594.  ADV. ADOOR PRAKASH:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Railway Board has suggested/planned any alternative to the proposal submitted by the State Government of Kerala for semihigh speed rail project (Silver Line) in the State
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) whether the Government has received any communication from the State  Government  for  reconsideration  of  this  project  and  if  so,  the details thereof and the action taken thereon?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

- (a)  to  (c):  SilverLine  from  Thiruvananthapuram  to  Kasaragod  in  Kerala was proposed for construction by Kerala Rail Development Corporation Limited  (KRDCL),  a  Joint  Venture  company  of  State  Government  of Kerala  (51%)  and  Ministry  of  Railways  (49%)  for  development.    After survey,  KRDCL  has  submitted  Detailed  Project  Report  (DPR)  of  the Project.    The  proposed  alignment  was  running  parallel  to  and  in  close proximity to Indian Railway (IR) lines.  There were many deficiencies in the  DPR.    Therefore,  KRDCL  has  been  advised  by  Southern  Railway  to address  those  deficiencies  and  prepare  revised  DPR  as  per  the  latest

advised technical standards such as integration with existing IR network at  suitable  points,  adoption  of  broad  gauge  for  integration  with  IR network, flatter ruling gradient, provision of Kavach, electrification with 2x25  kV,  proper  drainage  scheme  for  yards  and  sections,  addressing environmental  concerns  during  construction  and  operation  etc.    The proposed  changes  are  aimed  at  improving  line  capacity  utilization, integration with the existing rail network etc.

Further to improve connectivity and enhance the capacity in this region following surveys have been taken up: -

|   SN | Route                                        |   Length (Km) |
|------|----------------------------------------------|---------------|
|    1 | Kayankulam-Thiruvanathapuram 3rd Line        |           105 |
|    2 | Ernakulam-Kayankulam 3rd line (via Kottayam) |           115 |
|    3 | Shoranur-Mangalore 3rd & 4th Line            |           307 |
|    4 | Coimbatore-Shoranur 3rd & 4th line           |            99 |
|    5 | Thiruvanathapuram-Nagercoil 3rd Line         |            71 |
|    6 | Shoranur - Ernakulam 3rd Line                |           106 |

## Kerala

Budget allocation in the recent years has increased significantly. Budget allocation for infrastructure projects and safety works, falling fully/partly in the State of Kerala is as under:-

| Period   | Outlay                             |
|----------|------------------------------------|
| 2009-14  | Rs. 372 crore/year                 |
| 2025-26  | Rs. 3,042 crore (more than 8times) |

As on 01.04.2025, 06 projects (02 new line and 04 doubling) of length 266  Km,  costing  Rs.  9,415  crore,  falling  fully/partly  in  the  State  of Kerala are in different stages of planning/sanctioning/execution, out of which  26  Km  length  has  been  commissioned  and  an  expenditure  of

Rs.3,250 crore has been incurred upto March' 2025. The summary is as under:-

| Category                  |   No. of projects | Total Length   | Length Commissioned   | Balance to complete   | Expenditure upto March 2025 (₹in Crore)   |
|---------------------------|-------------------|----------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-------------------------------------------|
| New line                  |                02 | 146 Km         | 0 Km                  | 146 Km                | 309                                       |
| Doubling /multitra- cking |                04 | 120 Km         | 26 Km                 | 94 Km                 | 2,941                                     |
| Total                     |                06 | 266 Km         | 26 Km                 | 240 Km                | 3,250                                     |

## Details of some of the recently completed projects falling fully/partly in Kerala are as under :

|   S.No. | Project                                                                   | Cost (₹in Crores)   |
|---------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------|
|       1 | Dindigul-Pollachi-Palghat & Pollachi-Coimbatore Gauge Conversion (217 km) | 1,360               |
|       2 | Quilon-Tirunelveli-Tiruchendur Gauge Conversion (357 km)                  | 1,122               |
|       3 | Mulanturutti-Kuruppantara Doubling (24 km)                                | 303                 |
|       4 | Chenganur-Chingavanam Doubling (27 km)                                    | 436                 |
|       5 | Ambalapuzha-Haripad Doubling (18 km)                                      | 346                 |
|       6 | Kurruppanthara-Chingavanam Doubling (27 km)                               | 749                 |

## Some of the projects falling fully/partly in Kerala which have been taken up are as under:

|   S No. | Project                               | Cost (₹ in Crores)   |
|---------|---------------------------------------|----------------------|
|       1 | Angamali-Sabarimala New line (111 Km) | 3,727                |
|       2 | Ernakulam-Kumbalam Doubling (8 Km)    | 595                  |

|   3 | Kumbalam-Thuravur Patch doubling (16 km)   | 803   |
|-----|--------------------------------------------|-------|
|   4 | Trivandrum- Kanyakumari Doubling (87 Km)   | 3,786 |
|   5 | Shoranur - Vallathol Doubling (10 Km)      | 367   |

In  last  three  years  (i.e.  2022-2023,  2023-2024,  2024-25  and  current Financial Year i.e. 2025-26), total 9 Nos. of Surveys (3 New Line and 6 Doubling) falling fully/partly in the State of Kerala having a total length of 1,124 Km have been sanctioned and survey work has been taken up.

Execution of important infrastructure projects falling fully/partly in the State of Kerala are held up due to delay in land acquisition. Status of land acquisition in the State of Kerala is as under:

| Total Land required for Projects in Kerala   | 476 Ha       |
|----------------------------------------------|--------------|
| Land Acquired                                | 65 Ha (14%)  |
| Balance Land to be acquired                  | 411 Ha (86%) |

Railway had deposited ₹1975 crore for land acquisition to Government of Kerala.  Support of the Government of Kerala is needed to expedite the  land  acquisition.  For  instance,  details  of  some  major  projects which are delayed due to land acquisition are as under:-

|   S.No. | Name of the project                        |   Total land required (in Ha) |   Land acquired (in Ha) |   Balance Land to be acquired (in Ha) |
|---------|--------------------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------|---------------------------------------|
|       1 | Angamali - Sabarimala new line (111 Km)    |                           416 |                      24 |                                   392 |
|       2 | Ernakulam - Kumbalam Patch Doubling (8 Km) |                             4 |                       1 |                                     3 |
|       3 | Kumbalam - Turavur Patch Doubling (16 Km)  |                            10 |                       6 |                                     4 |
|       4 | Trivandrum - Kanyakumari Doubling (87 Km)  |                            41 |                      33 |                                     8 |

| 5.   | Shoranur - Vallathol Doubling (10 Km) 5   |
|------|-------------------------------------------|

Government  of  India  is  geared  up  to  execute  projects,  however success depends upon the support of Government of Kerala.

Sanction of any railway project depends upon many parameters/factors which include the following:

-  Anticipated  traffic  projections  and  Remunerativeness  of  the proposed route
-  First and last mile connectivity provided by the project
-  Connection of missing links and providing additional route
-  Augmentation of congested/saturated lines
-  Demands  raised  by  State  Governments/Central  Ministries/Public representatives,
-  Railway's own operational requirements
-  Socio-economic considerations
-  Overall availability of funds

Completion  of  Railway  project/s  depends  on  various  factors  which include the following:

-  Land acquisition by State Government
-  Forest clearance
-  Shifting of infringing utilities
-  Statutory clearances from various authorities
-  Geological and topographical conditions of area
-  Law and order situation in the area of project site
-  Number of  working  months  in  a  year  for  particular  project  site etc.

All these factors affect the completion time and cost of the project/s.

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