Kerala cruises ahead with ₹66,079-cr SHSR project

The Kerala government has fast tracked the Semi High Speed Rail (SHSR) project entailing an investment of ₹66,079 crore. For the state that runs like a thin strip along the Malabar coast in the southern part of India, connecting capital Thiruvananthapuram at the southern tip to Kasaragod, at the northern end – a distance of 532 km – the trains, travelling at 200 km per hour, would bring down the journey's duration to less than four hours from the current 12-14 hours. The Kerala Rail Development Corporation Ltd (K-RAIL), a joint venture company set up by the state government and the Ministry of Railways to execute the project, has completed the aerial survey for the rail link which would pass through 11 districts. A detailed report and the alignment plan are likely to be ready shortly, said K-RAIL Managing Director V Ajith Kumar. The existing road and rail links don't allow for high speeds given the sharp curves along the way. This and the large number of level crossings see trains clocking a low average speed of 35-40 kmph. Therefore, the likelihood of travelers shifting to SHSR is very high. Besides, the Silver Line would also reduce congestion by taking about 7,500 vehicles off the roads and bring down pollution.