SilverLine: Centre insists on revised DPR, ball is in Kerala court

Kottayam: Once again, the ball is in the court of state government as the central government insisted on a complete overhaul of the Detailed Project Report in connection with the controversial SilverLine project. Following discussions between Southern Railway and K-Rail, the former has insisted on converting SilverLine to a broad-gauge system and has necessitated a complete overhaul of the detailed project report (DPR). Since this involves a policy decision, the state government must approve any changes to be made in the DPR. The state government’s decision is crucial for the progress of the project.

After the discussions, K-Rail officials are continuing internal deliberations at various levels to address the detailed aspects. The recent discussions centered around Southern Railway's proposals, which include:

1. Converting SilverLine from standard gauge to broad gauge.
2. Connecting SilverLine to the existing railway network at 50-kilometer intervals.
3. Facilitating freight transportation.
4. Setting an average speed of 160 kilometers per hour.

However, the DPR prepared as per the state government's preferences envisions SilverLine as a standard-gauge system with an average speed of up to 220 kilometers per hour, without any connections to the existing railway network. The state has already spent ₹29 crore on preparing the DPR. Revisions to it would result in considerable financial losses.

The state government’s upcoming decision will play a crucial role in determining the project's future trajectory.