Metroman E Sreedharan's touted Vega Rail project hits roadblock

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The plan submitted by Metroman E Sreedharan for high-speed train travel in Kerala, as an alternative for the controversial silver line project, is at a standstill after facing indifference from the central government. The project, which proposes a train journey of just three and a half hours from Thiruvananthapuram to Kannur, was presented before the central and state governments nine months ago. In June, during a discussion with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had expressed interest in the idea. However, apart from handing over the project proposal to the Southern Railway and K-Rail, no further steps were taken.

The metro man envisions a high-speed rail line with a maximum speed of 200 km. It was the state government that tactically chose E. Sreedharan, a close aide of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to develop an alternate plan for rail travel connecting the length of the state. The project will need ample pillars and tunnels. Since land acquisition is minimal, there will be less opposition.

After the pillars are built, the land can be handed over to the owners. Agriculture and animal husbandry will not be disrupted in any way. There will be restrictions on the construction of buildings and the planting of large trees. There will be no obstruction to the movement of people through these areas.

Sreedharan proposes to have stations at intervals of 30 km. The expressway should be completely for passenger trains. Freight trains will not be run through these tracks. If the Delhi Metro is entrusted with the project, the road can be built in six years - these were the suggestions in the alternative plan.

• Vega Rail, which has stops at all major cities at intervals of 25-30 km, is suitable for Kerala. Although it has a maximum speed of 200 km, the average speed is 135 km.

• Passengers can reach Kannur from Thiruvananthapuram in 3.5 hours, Kochi in 1.20 hours, and Kozhikode in 2.5 hours.

• There will be eight coaches with 560 passengers. In the future, it can be increased to 16 coaches. The fare on the Vega Rail will be one and a half times more than that of the AC chair car.

• Since it is a track above the pillars, the cost will be up to 1.5 lakh crores. The Silverline was estimated at 78,000 crores. Foreign loans will be required.

The demands pointed out by the Railways:

# It should be in broad gauge like the existing tracks

# Maximum speed of 160 kmph is enough, goods trains should be allowed

# There should be connections with the existing tracks at intervals of 50 km