Kerala considers converting Semi-High Speed Rail Project

In response to public protest against the semi-high speed railway project proposed by the left democratic front government and the lackluster support from the Union government, the state is now exploring the possibility of transforming the project to accommodate both semi-high speed and high-speed train services.The initial plan was to construct a 530-km Thiruvananthapuram-Kasaragod semi-high speed standard-gauge railway link, estimated to cost Rs 640 billion and necessitate the acquisition of large areas of land.To address concerns regarding environmental impact and the division of the state, the new project proposes that 95 per cent of the railway line be elevated and the remaining portion be constructed underground.E Sreedharan, a seasoned expert in railway projects who has been enlisted for the new venture, has submitted an initial report to the state.Sreedharan expressed his view that the semi-high speed rail project, which is awaiting approval from the Union government, would become obsolete within a couple of decades, given the national railway plan's vision of establishing a network of high-speed connections between major cities across the country.He further stated that a new high-speed railway line from Thiruvananthapuram to Kannur could be built within a span of five or six years, at a cost of less than Rs 1000 billion, if the project were entrusted to either the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) or the Indian Railways.