Silverline: Requires 68.49 lakh cubic meters of granite, rock to be delivered from neighbouring states; K-Rail will not cause floods, project to be completed in 3 years

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: K-Rail Managing Director V Ajithkumar said that the sand mounds for the Silver Line track will not cause floods and an engineering plan will be implemented to divert water to nearby streams during monsoons. He was speaking at a presentation for MLAs in the Assembly on the project. The mounds can be up to 9 m high. A system will be set up to allow water to flow through the bottom of these. For this, a hydrography survey has been started.

The project requires less raw materials compared to a national highway project. After taking the quarry products available in Kerala, they will be shipped from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh at cheaper rates. Railway wagons will be provided at special rates for this purpose. MLAs demanded action to avoid floods and clarity on where the rock and stone would be brought from.

MD replied to Thomas K. Thomas that the construction would be completed in three years with five major contracts of 100 km each. Notice has been issued for Environmental Impact Assessment and Preliminary Survey but there is no impediment to sale or purchase of land. Xavier Chittilapally and P V Anwar replied that 50,000 people would be employed every day during the construction phase. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Speaker MB Rajesh, Ministers KN Balagopal, P Prasad, R Bindu, K Rajan and K Krishnankutty were present.