Rail bypass will be an alternative for semi high speed rail

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: During the SilverLine debate that took place in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday, it was suggested that bypass double tracks with no curves should be constructed in Broadgauge parallel to the state's double rail tracks to run semi-high speed trains up to 180 kmph.

The proposal was made by Prof. RVG Menon, former president of Sasthra Sahitya Parishad and former principal of Kannur Govt. Engineering College. "All railway trains can run on the new line. Half of the cost should be borne by the state. K-Rail is the Railway Development Corporation of Kerala. It is not just for the development of SilverLine. The semi-high speed broad gauge trains of the railways must be used in the state," RVG Menon said.

"With the advent of new lines and signal systems, more trains, including high-speed trains, can run every few minutes. However, the project won't get a loan from Japan. Money will have to be invested from KIIFB. The government will have to take up land to build two new lines with no curves. If the government is ready to pay a good price for the land adjacent to the railway, the people will be ready to give it up. This discussion should have taken place three or four years ago," he said.

"The projects are delayed due to lack of political will and capacity. The Jan Shatabdiwill reaches Ernakulam from Thiruvananthapuram in 3.17 hours. Travel time will be further reduced once the track doubling is completed. It has been more than 20 years since the Aroor-Cherthala National Highway was made four-lane. Several years have passed since the land was taken up to widen the road from Cherthala to Thiruvananthapuram. People are not objecting against it. The development of national highways is getting delayed due to the inability to do things properly," he added.