KOCHI: Metroman E Sreedharan said that Kerala needs high-speed and semi-speed railways and that he is ready to cooperate with such a project if the state government requests it. No more trains can run on the existing track. The speed of express trains in Kerala is only 48–50 km per hour and the situation will worsen in five years, he said in a press conference. E Sreedharan was meeting the Chief Executive Officer of Southern Railway to review the railway projects.

'K-Rail cannot be proceeded with due to people's opposition, environmental damage and high cost. I submitted a report to the government to implement the high-speed rail system in a different manner. Even though K-Rail has not got central approval, the Railway Board has not ruled it out. This is because such a plan is essential.'

Expenditure up to one lakh crore

If the high-speed rail is built as an overhead line or an underground line or as a combination of both, the problem of land acquisition can be avoided. 20 meters wide land can be acquired and returned to the owners after construction. If the new rail is built in standard gauge, it can be connected to the high-speed rail network in the country. A rail line from Thiruvananthapuram to Kannur is sufficient. There are only a few passengers to Kasaragod. For the construction of one kilometer of Delhi semi expressway, 200 crores had to be spent. In Kerala, the cost of a 420 km road can be expected from 84,000 crores to 1 lakh crores.

Six years to complete

DMRC or Railways with experience should take up the construction preferably. K-Rail's plan has many flaws. DPR can be prepared within 12 months if taken over by DMRC. The construction can be completed in six years. The DPR prepared by the DMRC will also include the means of raising funds for the project.

'My age does not allow me to take up the construction of the project but I can intervene in matters including obtaining central approval and giving suggestions keeping the state's interest in mind'. E Sreedharan's response to a question about Congress's opposition was that it was the Oommen Chandy government that initiated the idea of ​​a high-speed rail project.