THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: K-Rail has rejected the Southern Railway's proposal to reduce the speed of Kerala's SilverLine project to 160 km/h, asserting that such a modification would undermine the state's ambition for high-speed rail. The proposal to run 160 km/h trains on the Thiruvananthapuram-Kasargod route, with trains operating at twenty-minute intervals on two parallel lines of the current double track, conflicts with the central government's vision for the Silver Line, which aims to run trains at speeds of up to 200 km/h.

In a discussion with the Railway Chief Administrative Officer in Kochi, K-Rail officials questioned the rationale behind reducing the speed to 160 km/h. They raised concerns over why such a policy change was being proposed specifically for Kerala, when high-speed trains are being permitted across the country. K-Rail officials also noted that the project’s Detailed Project Report (DPR) cannot be altered based on a letter alone; it would require formal documentation based on central policy before any changes are considered.

Southern Railway had earlier suggested that two tracks with a speed of 160 km/h be constructed along the current route, which would necessitate revising the DPR for the Silver Line. K-Rail responded by asking for clarity on the policy basis for this proposal and inquired about the relevance of modifying the Silver Line project in line with the national policy on high-speed rail.

K-Rail Director V. Ajith Kumar emphasized that if the Railway's proposed approach were adopted, it would make high-speed travel in Kerala unfeasible. "If goods trains run ahead, the high-speed trains will lag behind. This is not good for Kerala," he said. He further argued that a track designed for a maximum speed of 160 km/h would not be suitable for the high-speed trains envisioned for the Silver Line, which is designed to support speeds of up to 200 km/h initially, with the potential for future upgrades to 250 km/h.

The Southern Railway's proposal also suggested that the new tracks should be parallel to the existing lines, which K-Rail contends would result in a track that is not capable of supporting the desired speeds in the future. K-Rail maintains that the Silver Line should be constructed with the future in mind, with the possibility of upgrading to higher speeds as technology advances.

K-Rail also pointed out that the cost of constructing a high-speed track would be significantly higher than that of a 160 km/h track. The cost of building the Silver Line, with a track designed for speeds of up to 250 km/h, is estimated at ₹77,800 crore, with a per-kilometer cost of ₹120 crore. In contrast, the cost of constructing a track for 160 km/h is estimated at ₹70 crore per kilometer.

Meanwhile, the Railway Ministry is pushing forward with other high-speed rail projects across the country, including the 350 km/h Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor, set to be completed in 2026, and several other semi-high-speed projects with speeds of up to 180 km/h. These developments, K-Rail argues, highlight the need for Kerala to pursue a more ambitious rail project capable of meeting the state’s future transportation needs.

K-Rail officials will continue discussions with the Railway Department in Thiruvananthapuram today, where K-Rail is expected to submit the requested documents and seek clarification on the policy decisions affecting the Silver Line project.