Kerala Rail Expansion Gains Pace With New DPR Work

12 Dec 2025 CW Team

Indian Railways is preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR) to develop more than 750 km of new railway lines across Kerala, a move aimed at enhancing train operations, boosting service frequency and strengthening the state’s overall transport capacity. For FY 2025–26, the national transporter has allocated a budget of Rs 3,042 million for Kerala.

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha on 3 December, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw noted that over the last three years—2022–23, 2023–24, 2024–25 and the current financial year—a total of nine surveys (three new lines and six doubling projects) covering 1,124 km have been sanctioned, with work already underway.

Speaking in the Rajya Sabha on 5 December, Vaishnaw confirmed that a DPR is being prepared for several major Kerala rail line proposals. These include:

Kasaragod–Kozhikode–Shoranur third and fourth line (261 km)

Shoranur–Ernakulam third line (106 km)

Shoranur–Coimbatore third and fourth line (99 km)

Ernakulam–Kayankulam third line (115 km)

Kayankulam–Thiruvananthapuram third line (105 km)

Thiruvananthapuram–Nagercoil third line (71 km)

Together, these projects span 757 km.

In addition, Indian Railways is undertaking several other connectivity works totalling 232 km, including:

Angamali–Sabarimala new line (111 km) at a cost of Rs 37.27 billion

Ernakulam–Kumbalam doubling (8 km) costing Rs 5.95 billion

Kumbalam–Thuravur patch doubling (16 km) at Rs 8.03 billion

Trivandrum–Kanyakumari doubling (87 km) costing Rs 37.86 billion

Shoranur–Vallathol doubling (10 km) at Rs 3.67 billion

These combined efforts form one of the most extensive rail development programmes Kerala has seen, aimed at easing congestion, improving regional mobility and supporting long-term economic growth

Infrastructure Transport

06 Feb 2026

Second Mountain Tunnel Breakthrough in Palghar Advances High Speed Rail

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed rail (MAHSR) project reached a milestone with the breakthrough of a mountain tunnel in Palghar, Maharashtra. Mountain tunnel MT-six measures 454 metres long and 14.4 metres wide and will accommodate up and down tracks. The breakthrough follows MT-five near Saphale on second January 2026 and the MT-six excavation was completed from both ends using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method. The ministry reported that the tunnelling was completed within 12 months. The New Austrian Tunnelling Method is favoured for its flexibility in complex geology and irregular tunnel s..

Modi Government Pushes Atmanirbhar Container Drive With BCSL MoU

The Union Government advanced a plan to create an integrated, domestically anchored container ecosystem with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to establish the Bharat Container Shipping Line (BCSL). The MoU was signed by key agencies including the Shipping Corporation of India and Container Corporation of India alongside major port authorities and Sagarmala Finance Corporation Limited under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, in the presence of senior ministers. The initiative aligns with the Container Manufacturing Assistance Scheme announced in the Union Budget 2026–2..

Ministry Reports Gains In Mobility For Marginalised Communities

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is implementing skill development, education and rehabilitation schemes to promote socio-economic mobility and sustainable livelihoods for marginalised and disadvantaged communities across the country. Programmes target Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Classes, Economically Weaker Sections, De-notified Tribes and Safai Karamcharis through specialised implementing corporations and empanelled training institutes. Pradhan Mantri Dakshata Aur Kushalta Sampann Hitgrahi Yojana, or PM-DAKSH, provided skill training and placement support through the Nati..