Railways asks K-Rail to revise SilverLine DPR, proposes broad gauge model

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: There are indications that the Central government has not completely abandoned the SilverLine project, as the Railway Ministry has asked for the Detailed Project Report (DPR) to be revised.

The Railway Ministry has reiterated its stand that the Thiruvananthapuram-Kasaragod SilverLine project should be built in broad gauge. In this regard, Railway Board Director F.A. Ahmed has written to the Managing Director of K-Rail asking them to revise the DPR after discussions with the Western Railway.

The letter points out that the Sarkhej–Dholera semi-high-speed rail line in Ahmedabad is being built in broad gauge. Passenger and cargo trains will be able to operate on that route. It is expected to become the world’s first semi-high-speed broad-gauge railway line.

Earlier, K-Rail had prepared the DPR for the SilverLine project in standard gauge and submitted it to the Central government. The Railway Ministry had previously suggested changing it to broad gauge, but the Kerala government and K-Rail had rejected the proposal.

The Railways argued that a broad-gauge line would allow other trains, including Vande Bharat and goods trains, to use the route. It had also suggested that the SilverLine should have connections with the existing railway network at every 50 kilometres.

However, K-Rail maintains that converting the project to broad gauge would reduce the speed of trains and that a stand-alone corridor is necessary for the project. Officials believe that if the DPR is revised based on the Gujarat model, the Central government may approve the SilverLine project.

In broad gauge, the maximum speed is around 160 km per hour, while the SilverLine project is designed for a maximum speed of 200 km per hour. The proposed train is expected to cover the 530-kilometre distance between Thiruvananthapuram and Kasaragod in less than four hours. In standard gauge, trains can run at speeds of more than 350 km per hour. The width of standard gauge is 1435 millimetres, while broad gauge measures 1676 millimetres. Using broad gauge would also require acquiring more land. K-Rail also pointed out that the SilverLine project includes a Ro-Ro (Roll-on/Roll-off) system for container cargo transport. K-Rail also points out that the project will have railway connections at the Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur, Kozhikode, and Kasaragod stations.