Wayanad: Metro man E Sreedharan has criticised successive governments for failing to take forward development projects initiated by their predecessors in the state.

Speaking at a seminar on the proposed High-Speed Rail Corridor for Wayanad, he cited the proposed Light Metro projects in Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram and the Nilambur-Nanjangud railway line, stating that his team had completed considerable preliminary work on these projects, but they were left in limbo.

The projects were initiated by the UDF government led by Oommen Chandy. The government had approved the first instalment of the fee payable to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) for preparing the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Nilambur-Nanjangud line. However, the change of government stalled the initiative. The Monorail proposal was also abandoned, while the succeeding LDF government did not pursue the Light Metro plan.

Drawing on these experiences, Sreedharan said he had submitted a concept note on the proposed High-Speed Rail Corridor, including a pilot project in Wayanad, to Chief Minister VD Satheesan soon after the present UDF government assumed office. He hoped the project could be completed during the government's tenure.

The pilot project proposes an 83-km corridor connecting Sulthan Bathery and Kozhikode, with a journey time of 45 minutes. It is estimated to cost ₹15,000 crore and includes a 20-km twin tunnel.

The Kozhikode-Wayanad corridor was initially envisaged for the second or third phase of a proposed statewide network. However, frequent traffic congestion on the Ghat road and Wayanad's need for better connectivity prompted his team to take it up as the pilot project, Sreedharan said.

Awaiting Chief Minister's nod
Sreedharan said his team was yet to receive a response from the Chief Minister.

“I met him personally and handed over a copy of the project note. We have been waiting for his response since then. Perhaps he is too busy with other matters, given the state's present financial condition,” he said.

He said both the statewide corridor and the Wayanad project were financially viable and that a survey had already been conducted. Agencies were willing to provide financial support, he added.

The DMRC usually charges ₹12 lakh per kilometre to prepare DPRs for such projects. In this case, it was willing to complete the DPR within four months for a total fee of ₹5 crore, Sreedharan said. His team was ready to begin work even before the fee was released but was awaiting the Chief Minister's approval.

He also said the DMRC was the only agency in India to have returned ₹28 crore in unspent funds to the state government.

Route, funding and project features
According to a concept note submitted to Satheesan on September 19, the ₹15,000 crore project would be funded jointly by the state and Union governments, which would contribute ₹9,000 crore. The remaining ₹6,000 crore, or 40 per cent of the cost, would be mobilised through crowdfunding.

The state's share would be ₹4,410 crore over five years, or ₹882 crore annually. The Centre would contribute ₹4,590 crore, amounting to ₹918 crore a year.

The route would have three sections: a 40 km stretch from Kozhikode to Adivaram, a 20 km twin tunnel from Adivaram to Kalpetta and a 23 km elevated viaduct from Kalpetta to Sulthan Bathery. It would have four stops — Koduvally, Adivaram, Kalpetta and Sulthan Bathery — with the Kalpetta station serving as a link to other parts of Wayanad.

A captive solar power system is proposed to meet the corridor's energy needs and reduce operation and maintenance costs by 33 per cent.

The project would be implemented on a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) basis and handed over to the government 15 years after operations begin. A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) comprising representatives of the state and Union governments and the DMRC would oversee its construction and management.

Environmental clearances
Sreedharan said railway projects did not require environmental clearance. However, the proposed tunnel would need a geological study by the Geological Survey of India.

The remaining sections would be built on elevated platforms. Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) would be used to excavate the tunnel simultaneously from both ends. The project could be completed within four years, he said.