Union Ministry of Railways (Ministry of Railways) has sanctioned Detailed Project Report surveys for seven high-speed rail line projects in Kerala with a speed potential of up to 160 kmph, the Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told the Rajya Sabha. The approvals were framed as preparatory steps towards future infrastructure expansion and speed enhancement, and the announcement came amid disappointment in the state after its exclusion from the Union Budget list of sanctioned high-speed projects.

The seven projects cleared for DPR surveys include Shoranur to Mangalore involving third and fourth line work over 307 km, Coimbatore to Shoranur involving third and fourth line work over 99 km, Shoranur to Ernakulam for a third line over 106 km, Ernakulam to Kayamkulam via Kottayam for a third line over 115 km, Kayamkulam to Thiruvananthapuram for a third line over 105 km, Thiruvananthapuram to Nagercoil for a third line over 71 km, and Turavur to Ambalappuzha doubling over 48 km. The minister indicated that these surveys will appraise alignment options, signalling and track work, and other technical requirements.

The minister explained that sanctioning DPR surveys is an initial stage and that project sanctioning will require consultation with various stakeholders including state governments and the receipt of necessary approvals. He noted that exact timelines for execution cannot be fixed as sanctioning is a continuous and dynamic process and that the railways have undertaken extensive track and signalling upgrades over the past 11 years to enhance speed potential across the network.

On the proposed SilverLine semi-high-speed rail project, the Kerala Rail Development Corporation Limited (KRDCL) has been advised to revise its DPR in line with updated technical standards while the state government has insisted on treating SilverLine as a standalone project. Officials said the DPR surveys are expected to assess feasibility, costs and technical requirements for enhancing speeds up to 160 kmph and that, if implemented, the projects could reduce travel time and modernise Kerala's railway backbone.