Kerala’s high-speed rail dream takes wings; Centre to formally declare 200 kmph Thiruvananthapuram–Kannur rail line

Malappuram: The long-cherished dream of Kerala for a high-speed rail network is finally taking wings. An alternative to the long-pending SilverLine project of the K-Rail Development Corporation, the proposed Thiruvananthapuram–Kannur high-speed rail corridor is set to become a reality soon, according to Metro Man E Sreedharan.

Speaking to the media in Ponnani on Saturday, Sreedharan, former Managing Director of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), said the Central government is expected to formally declare the project within the next two weeks. He also announced that DMRC will open a project office in Ponnani on February 2.

Sreedharan said the construction of the project is expected to be completed within five years. The proposed high-speed rail line will support a maximum speed of 200 kmph and will have 14 stations in the first phase, with the number later increasing to 22.

According to him, nearly 90 per cent of the corridor will be built as elevated or underground rail. The travel time from Thiruvananthapuram to Kannur will be reduced to 3 hours and 15 minutes, while the Thiruvananthapuram–Kochi journey will take just 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Sreedharan said he had held detailed discussions with Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who has unofficially granted clearance for the project. "We are expecting formal clearance from Indian Railways within days. Procedures have already been initiated to avoid any delay in project execution," he said.

The estimated cost of the project ranges between ₹86,000 crore and ₹1 lakh crore. Indian Railways will bear 51 per cent of the cost, while the remaining amount will be shared by the Central and Kerala governments.

The new high-speed corridor will be constructed as a standard-gauge line and will not be connected to the existing railway network. There will be no goods or services on this line, Sreedharan clarified. Stations will be located at intervals of 20 to 25 km.

As per the preliminary proposal, stations are planned at Thiruvananthapuram Central, Thiruvananthapuram Airport, Varkala, Kollam, Kottarakkara, Adoor, Chengannur, Kottayam, Vaikom, Ernakulam, Aluva, Nedumbassery, Thrissur, Kunnamkulam, Edappal, Tirur, Karipur, Kozhikode, Koyilandy, Vadakara, Thalassery and Shoranur. The Ernakulam city station will be located near Palarivattom junction, where the Kochi Metro's Pink Line intersects the proposed elevated six-lane NH 66.

Initially, trains with eight coaches will operate on the corridor, with a passenger capacity of around 560 per train. Sreedharan added that the line may later be extended to Kasaragod and Mangaluru based on future requirements.