Kerala requests Centre's support for Silverline project at pre-budget meeting with Union Finance Minister

NEW DELHI: Amidst various political parties opposing the proposed K-Rail project in the state, Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal on Thursday said the state government takes people into confidence for all projects and hoped that the Centre's clearances for K-Rail initiative will come at the earliest.

The ambitious K-Rail project, also known as the SilverLine project, is expected to reduce the travel time between Thiruvananthapuram and Kasaragod to around four hours, and is estimated to cost more than Rs 60,000 crore.

However, various political parties in the state are opposing the project citing various issues, including environmental concerns.

Kerala, in a memorandum submitted to the Centre at the pre-Budget meeting of state finance ministers with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday, also requested support for innovative projects like the "semi high-speed rail (Silverline) project by expediting requisite approvals from the Government of India".

To a query about oppositon to K-Rail project, Balagopal, at a media briefing here, said the LDF government takes people into confidence for all projects.

"We will take up the project with cooperation of people. It is an important project," he said and hoped to get approvals from the Centre at the earliest.

When there is political opposition within the state, there is a possibility of it impacting a positive development, he added.

Opposition parties in Kerala, including Congress and the BJP, have raised objections to the project.

In October, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told the state assembly that approval for the SilverLine project was in the final stages.