Silver Line (K-Rail) Explained

Silver Line
Type:Higher-speed rail
Status:Planning
Locale:Kerala, India
Start:Thiruvananthapuram
End:Kasaragod
Stations:11
Lastextension:Planned extension till Mangalore from Kasaragod
Owner:K-Rail (Kerala Rail Development Corporation)
Character:Elevated, underground, surface and grade-separated, dedicated passenger tracks
Depot:Kollam
Linelength Km:532
Tracks:2
Gauge:Standard Gauge / European gauge
Electrification:Yes
Speed Km/H:220
Signalling:ETCS Level 2 with LTE
Map Name:Proposed stations
Map State:collapsed

The Silver Line is a proposed higher-speed rail line in India that would connect Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city, and Kasaragod of Kerala state. It will have an operating speed of, Maximum Design Speed:, structures designed for allowing trains to cover the 532km (331miles) distance in less than four hours, compared to the present 10 to 12 hours it takes to traverse this distance. Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Chengannur, Kottayam, Kochi, Thrissur, Tirur, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod will be the stations in this corridor.[1] The project is temporarily halted by the state government till the Central government approval.

The Detailed Project Report of the project is being prepared by K-Rail (Kerala Rail Development Corporation Limited), a joint venture company between Ministry Of Railways and Government of Kerala.

The railway line aims to ease transport congestion between the northern and southern regions of the state, whilst also improving travel times and mitigate climate change. The project includes a roll-on/roll-off (RORO) train service that conveys road vehicles, and enhanced feeder public transport services from stations.[2] In November 2022, the Kerala government recalled the revenue officials, who were deployed to conduct a social impact assessment study for land acquisition due to massive protests.[3]

Background

Kerala has of roads which is 4.2% of India's total length. The existing railway network in the state is also not suitable for faster travel. The average speed of journey by rail and road in the state is about 30% to 40% lower than in the neighbouring states.

The journey becomes even slower in the rainy seasons because of deterioration in the condition of the roads and railway lines. Because of the adverse terrain, there is little scope of economically raising speed of trains on the existing railway line in the corridor. With the above in mind, the Government has decided to build the Thiruvananthapuram - Kasaragod corridor as a Semi high-speed line, covering the coastal region which is the most densely populated region of the state.

Kerala being a densely populated state, most of the commuters depend on the conventional modes of transport. The proposed Silver Line (SHSR) will bring about a remarkable change in local commute, by improving the travel time and quality of transportation. There will be a substantial reduction in road accidents due to the reduction of congestion on roads. This also includes the last mile connectivity using aggregate services and feeder services, which will transform the people's perception towards public transportation. The Silver Line (previously called as SHSR) will also be duly integrated with the existing Indian Railway network for the benefit of interstate and long distance travellers.

Environmental and social impact

The studies regarding the environmental impact have not yet been completed. Environmentally, materials like manufactured sand, rock and wood materials need to be considered.

Transport systems bring enormous benefits to society providing access and mobility that are essential for modern societies and economic growth. However, transport activities have many undesirable external impacts as well, such as CO2 emissions, congestion, accidents, land use and many more. The urge to fight these challenges is therefore pushing economies towards more efficient, and sustainable solutions.

Silver Line is claimed to be a suitable alternative as it saves time, resources, and helps in reduction of carbon footprint by relying on renewable energy sources for its stations, providing last-mile connectivity to and from the station using electric vehicles (EVs), and facilities for parking/charging EVs at the stations. The proposed RORO services also contribute in reducing pollution and congestion compared to road transport of goods vehicles.

History

History of Kerala Semi High-speed rail
250px
YearEvent
2009 FebruaryKerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac announced Thiruvananthapuram-Kasaragod high-speed rail corridor[4]
2010 FebruaryInitial planning for Kerala HSR by Chief Minister V. S. Achuthanandan[5]
2011 SeptemberSpecial-purpose vehicle formed for the project extending up to Mangalore by CM Oommen Chandy
2012 JuneDMRC submitted a feasibility study report with an est. cost of
2014 OctoberCM Oommen Chandy's stated that the project is now stalled due to protests
2016 JuneKerala Government, headed by CM Pinarayi Vijayan, asked DMRC to submit the DPR
2019 JanuaryGovernment of Kerala decided to wind up Kerala HSR project, found unviable due to high project cost[6]
2019 May Survey report by France-based Systra said a semi high-speed rail project across Kerala could be financially viable
est. cost
2019 DecemberGovernment of Kerala named the Semi-High Speed Rail Project as 'Silver Line'. Estimated cost ₹56,443 crore[7]
2020 JanuaryHyderabad-based GeoKno India Private Limited completed an aerial survey for Kerala 'Silver Line' project[8]
2020 JanuaryKerala Government decided to set up land acquisition cells in 10 districts to acquire 1,226.45 hectares for 'Silver Line' project
2020 AprilOn 16 April, the Kerala Rail Development Corporation (K Rail) Board approved the DPR of 'Silverline Kerala'. One additional station(Kochi Airport) added in the route.[9]
2020 JuneOn 10 June, the Government of Kerala approved the revised alignment of 57.5 km Vadakara-Thalassery stretch of 'Silverline Kerala' to reduce displacement and avoid bifurcating Mahe.[10] [11]
2020 OctoberThe project proposal has been tabled before the Railway Board for approval[12]
2021 FebruaryMinistry of Railways and Railway Board have not approved the project yet. Finance Minister wrote to the Kerala CM for speeding up the land acquisition and financial plan related discussions with JICA for the Kerala Silverline project.[13] [14]
2021 May Housing and Urban Development Corporation Kerala granted ₹3,000 crore loan for acquiring land for the first phase (Kochuveli to Chengannur) developments.
2022 NovemberThe state government decided to temporarily halt the SilverLine project till the Centre gives approval.

The Thiruvananthapuram–Mangalore high-speed rail corridor was mooted in the 2009-10 budget speech of the LDF government. The project was cleared by the State Cabinet in February 2010.[15] [16] The Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) was appointed as the nodal agency to develop the project.

In September 2011, a special purpose vehicle, the Kerala High Speed Rail Corporation Ltd. (KHSRC) was formed to implement the project.[17] The Ministry of Railways has stated that the project is feasible and has expressed full support for the project.[18] The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) conducted the pre-feasibility study of the project. The KHSRC requested the DMRC to submit a detailed project report (DPR) for the project by November 2012. However, the DPR faced several delays.[19]

In February 2014, the Indian media reported that the state government shelved the project. The Times of India quoted unnamed sources as stating, "It has not been scrapped officially, but it is at a dead stage. The estimated project cost has almost doubled now, and the more the delay, the costlier the project would become." The cost of constructing the project was estimated to be, much higher than the originally estimated .[20] [21] [22] 80% of the cost was proposed to be funded by JICA, and the remaining 20% by the State and Central governments.

In March 2014, T. Balakrishnan, Chairman and Managing Director of KHSRCL, denied that the project had been scrapped.[23] In October 2014, Kerala Chief Minister Shri Oommen Chandy stated that the government wished to implement the project, and that the project was stalled due to protests. He also stated that the survey had been completed and the project would be implemented only with the support of people.[24]

In June 2016, the newly elected Left government asked the DMRC to complete the DPR. The DMRC submitted the detailed project report (DPR) to the state government in July 2016. The DMRC proposed constructing a 430km (270miles) line from Kochuveli in Thiruvananthapuram up to Kannur, with an option to extend the line up to Mangalore in a later phase.[25] The Union Government approved the DMRC's draft report on 9 July 2016.[26]

In August 2016, the KHSRCL announced that it would conduct survey to determine public opinion of the proposed alignment. The survey is intended to prevent any possible protests over land acquisition and suppress dissent from opponents of development projects in the state.[27] The results of the survey, published in February 2017, found that 86% of the 13,447 people interviewed across 110 assembly constituencies in 11 districts were in favour of the project. Only 9% of those surveyed opposed the project, while 5% remained neutral. 73% of the respondents were aware of the project before being interviewed. Of those who had not heard of the project, 82% expressed support, while 88% of those who were aware expressed support. Supporters of the project believe that it will reduce travel time, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and accidents, and generate development in the state. Opponents of the project argue that the project will result in large-scale displacement of people as a result of land acquisition, take away the livelihood of farmers whose land is acquired, waste a large sum of money, and reduce the number of trees.[28] [29] [30] In 2019, a survey by French consultant company Systra found that the Kochuveli-Kasaragod rail corridor could be financially viable. Systra found that the project can recoup 6% of its cost every year after linking Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi airports.[31] The state agency, Kerala State Remote Sensing and Environment Centre (KSERC), is supposed to submit the survey report by March 2020. After land acquisition order, a detailed project report (DPR) will be prepared by the Government of Kerala.[32]

Project details

Project Specifications
Project titleSilver Line
Total distance532.185km (330.684miles)
Travel timeless than 4 hours
Maximum speed220km/h
Maximum operating speed200km/h
Number of stations11
Proposed project cost
Tracks2 (up & down)
Rolling stock9 coaches initially
Expected daily ridership67,740 pax[33]
In August 2021, the Revenue Department of Thiruvananthapuram published a list of survey numbers for land confiscation.[34] Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board approved a loan of Rs 2100 crores for buying these lands from respective owners of these plots.[35]
Estimated time duration
Proposed StationDistanceTime duration
ThiruvananthapuramStart0 min
Kollam55 km24 min
Chengannur109 km48 min
Kottayam149 km1 hr 3 min
Ernakulam195 km1 hr 26 min
Cochin International Airport220 km1 hr 35 min
Thrissur259 km 1 hr 54 min
Tirur317 km2 hr 19 min
Kozhikode358 km2 hr 37 min
Kannur449 km3 hr 16 min
Kasaragod532 km3 hr 52 min

Plan

Kerala will get a special railway corridor along its 532km (331miles) length by 2024, as the state government is set to build a rail line that will enable semi-high speed trains ply between upstate Kasaragod and the capital city of Thiruvananthapuram. The semi-high-speed corridor from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasargode would not have any level crossings. K-Rail will have to acquire about for the project that will have the rails elevated along urban stretches. The trains will run at a maximum speed of . They will initially have nine coaches, and the number will be subsequently enhanced to 12. The travel charge is projected to be ₹2.75 per km (2.4¢ US/mi), and there will be an annual hike of 7.5 per cent.[36]

K-Rail expects a ridership of 67,740 passengers a day. It estimates to carry 1,330 travellers in one direction at peak hours. For meeting the expenses of the project, will come as loans. The Centre and state will need to provide each. The Kerala government will spend on land acquisition and allied matters. The rest of the expenses will be met through other loans by the union and state governments. The rail line will pass through 11 of the state's 14 districts, and will stop at ten stations. Up its northward course from Thiruvananthapuram, these stations will be Kollam, Chengannur, Kottayam, Kochi, Kochi Airport, Thrissur, Tirur, Kozhikode and Kannur before reaching Kasaragod.The SilverLine corridor will be 100% green project. K-Rail is set to adopt last-mile connectivity, with multi-modal integration, system-driven e-vehicle public transport system, charging as well as parking stations, which would take the state to next generation of urban mobility. The project will also adopt the latest world-class rail system technology like signalling system of ERTMS level-2 with automatic train control system, ticketing, communication, fully air-conditioned rolling stock with modern passenger amenities.The main depot for the line will be located near the Kochuveli terminus.

Protests

There are many protests against K Rail initiative due to access of private land without a proper compensation and assent. Several people were arrested for non-cooperation.[37] [38]

See also

References

Notes and References

  1. News: 17 April 2020. DPR of semi-high-speed railway line from TVM to Kasaragod approved. Mathrubhumi. 17 April 2020.
  2. Web site: 5 September 2019. Traders in T'puram pledges total support for SHSR project. 4 February 2020.
  3. Web site: 2022-11-28 . What is Kerala's SilverLine rail project, why has the govt recalled officials involved in it? . 2022-11-28 . The Indian Express . en.
  4. News: TVPM-Kasaragod in 4 hours! Isaac brings in fast rail corridor in budget . On Manorama . 1 February 2019 . 24 January 2020.
  5. News: Kerala plans high speed rail corridors . DNA . 10 February 2010 . 24 January 2020.
  6. News: Govt winds up high-speed rail project . Times of India . 10 January 2019 . 24 January 2020.
  7. News: Government approves Rs 56,443 cr Kerala semi-high speed rail project named "Silver line" . Affairs Cloud . 10 January 2019 . 24 January 2020.
  8. News: Kerala semi-high speed railway line aerial survey completed; Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod in 4 hours soon! . Financial Express . 8 January 2020 . 24 January 2020.
  9. News: DPR of semi-high-speed railway line from TVM to Kasaragod approved . Mathrubhumi . 17 April 2020 . 17 April 2020.
  10. News: Cabinet nod for Silver Line DPR . The Hindu . 10 June 2020 . 12 April 2020.
  11. News: K-Rail revises alignment of section . The Hindu . 9 June 2020 . 10 April 2020.
  12. News: Semi-High Speed Rail Corridor project tabled before Railway Board . Mathrubhumi . 10 October 2020 . 12 October 2020.
  13. News: Kerala's ambitious Silverline gets Centre's green light . TNIE . 2 February 2021 . 2 February 2021.
  14. News: After windfall from Union Budget 2021, Kerala's Silverline rail project gets Centre's nod . Manorama . 2 February 2021 . 2 February 2021.
  15. Web site: No cause for concern over high speed rail: Chandy . . 25 September 2012 . 11 March 2013.
  16. Web site: Kerala Chief Minister assures people on high speed rail project . NDTV . 25 September 2012 . 11 March 2013.
  17. Web site: Kerala's High Speed Dilemma . Yentha.com . 8 August 2012 .
  18. News: 1,700 families to be displaced for high speed rail project . . 13 September 2012 . 11 March 2013. Krishnakumar . G. .
  19. News: S. Anil Radhakrishnan . High Speed Corridor: DMRC needs more time to submit report . The Hindu . 10 March 2013 . 2013-03-11.
  20. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thiruvananthapuram/High-speed-rail-project-shelved-by-planning-board/articleshow/30481571.cms High speed rail project shelved by planning board – The Times of India
  21. Web site: Home.
  22. Web site: Kerala pauses work on high-speed rail corridor project - News Oneindia . 21 February 2014 . 1 March 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140301134119/http://news.oneindia.in/thiruvananthapuram/kerala-shelves-high-speed-rail-corridor-project-1397057.html . dead .
  23. News: High-speed rail to take Kochi-Kasaragod route . . 14 March 2014 . 14 March 2014. Pillai . R. Ramabhadran .
  24. Web site: അതിവേഗ റെയില്‍: പിന്തുണച്ചാല്‍ നടപ്പാക്കുമെന്നു മുഖ്യമന്ത്രി . . 5 October 2014 . 5 October 2014.
  25. News: Radhakrishnan. S. Anil. From capital to Kannur in two hours. The Hindu. 12 July 2016. 6 February 2017. en.
  26. Web site: TVM-Kannur high-speed rail: Centre approves draft report. Mathrubhumi. 6 February 2017.
  27. News: Radhakrishnan. S. Anil. Public opinion on high-speed rail corridor to be elicited. The Hindu. 20 August 2016. 6 February 2017. en.
  28. Web site: 86 percent people in Kerala want Thiruvananthapuram-Kannur high-speed rail corridor, reveals survey. The New Indian Express. 6 February 2017.
  29. Web site: Keralites 'in favour of high-speed rail project'. Gulf-Times. 6 February 2017. ar. 2 February 2017.
  30. News: Radhakrishnan. S. Anil. Kerala gives a thumbs up to high-speed rail. The Hindu. 6 February 2017. en. 2 February 2017.
  31. Web site: Kerala's semi high-speed rail project likely to be profitable: Survey. Onmanorama. 20 May 2019.
  32. Web site: Kerala's semi high-speed rail project likely to be profitable: Survey. Mathrubhumi. 24 February 2020. 24 February 2020.
  33. Web site: 'Semi-high speed railway line is Kerala's transportation solution for future'. Gulf-Times. 5 November 2019. Kochi. 27 October 2019.
  34. Web site: 2021. G.O.(Ms)No.163/2021/RD. Revenue Department. Thiruvananthapuram. Kerala Rail Development Corporation Limited (K-Rail). https://keralarail.com/projects/thiruvananthapuram-kasaragod-semi-high-speed-rail-shsr-project/.
  35. Web site: Land confiscation procedures for Silverline Semi High-Speed rail project begins. 2021-10-16. Mathrubhumi. en.
  36. News: 23 September 2021. DETAILED PROJECT REPORT (DPR) - Kerala SemiHSR. Keralarail.com. 23 September 2021.
  37. News: 2022-03-22 . Public protest against K-Rail intensifies across Malabar . The Times of India . 2023-05-24 . 0971-8257.
  38. News: 2022-03-03 . Nine arrested after protest against K-Rail project . en-IN . The Hindu . 2023-05-24 . 0971-751X.