Hope Kerala govt will eventually give green signal to high-speed rail: Sreedharan

Kochi: 'Metro Man' E. Sreedharan on Tuesday kept alive the prospect of a high-speed rail project in Kerala, saying he expects the state government to eventually give the green signal to the proposal, even as the previous government’s controversial K-Rail project has been shelved.

Sreedharan said some delay in taking a decision was natural in government work and indicated that Kerala’s financial position could also be a factor in the matter.

“It is natural for government procedures to take time. The financial position of the state could also be a factor,” Sreedharan said while speaking at an Engineers’ Summit organised in Angamaly.

His remarks assume significance as the V.D. Satheesan government had moved to abandon the earlier K-Rail/SilverLine proposal soon after coming to power.

The rail project, strongly pushed by the previous Pinarayi Vijayan government, had faced stiff political and public opposition over its land acquisition requirements, projected cost and other concerns.

Sreedharan, however, had subsequently submitted a separate proposal for developing a high-speed rail corridor in the state.

A committee constituted to examine the proposal had also expressed reservations on aspects of the plan, leaving the government with the task of assessing its technical and financial viability.

Sreedharan’s latest comments indicate that he continues to believe that a faster rail system is essential for Kerala, notwithstanding the reservations and the financial constraints confronting the state.

He pointed to the growing demand for faster rail connectivity, saying the heavy rush witnessed on Vande Bharat trains in the state itself demonstrated how urgently Kerala needed a high-speed rail system.

The remarks also come at a time when the government is facing growing pressure to improve public transport infrastructure while keeping a close watch on its finances.

Any decision to revive the high-speed rail proposal, therefore, is likely to involve a fresh assessment of its cost, financing pattern, land requirements and technical feasibility.

Sreedharan did not suggest that the earlier K-Rail project should simply be revived.

Instead, his comments appeared to underline the larger question of whether Kerala can afford to leave the requirement for a high-speed rail corridor unaddressed.

With the previous project having been politically discarded and the alternative proposal still facing questions over viability, Sreedharan’s latest intervention could reopen the debate over Kerala’s long term rail connectivity.

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