Alignment of Silver Line project cannot be changed; separate track needed for high-speed trains, says K Rail

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: K Rail has clarified that the alignment of the Silver Line project cannot be changed as requested by the Railway Ministry. K Rail has replied to the Southern Railway that a separate track is required for high-speed trains and therefore a standard gauge track is required. However, K Rail has informed that the Silver Line alignment can be amended to avoid railway land. K Rail has also clarified that it is ready to change the alignment despite environmental and technical issues.

The Railways proposed that the Silver Line should be made broad gauge, that Vande Bharat and goods trains should be able to run on the line, and that it should be connected to the existing line every 50 km. Metroman E Sreedharan had also rejected the Railways' alternative proposal. "The broad gauge line proposal is impractical. A separate line should be provided on the standard gauge itself," he suggested. He wrote to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw pointing this out. The Silver Line requires 108 hectares of railway land. K Rail has clarified that it may change the alignment if the Railways is not ready to give this.