No plan to share land for SilverLine: Southern Railway

Kottayam: The Southern Railway has reiterated that it has not decided to share the railway land for the proposed SilverLine Project.  

Responding to an RTI application, the Southern Railway said the SilverLine Project was formulated without considering the future development programmes of the Railways.

The survey of the proposed land for the project was jointly done by Railway and K-Rail. However, the Southern Railway later expressed its reluctance to share land in a report submitted to the Railway Board. The detailed project report outlined the need for 107.80 hectare land for the project. There were speculations that the Railway might abandon its plan for the Ernakulam-Shoranur third line if it agreed to share its land for the SilverLine. However, the Railway clarified that it has not dropped its plan for the third line.

The K-Rail had submitted its detailed project report on June 20, 2020, following which the Railway Minister observed that the project is not financially and technically viable. The K-Rail has not yet submitted a modified project report so far, added the Southern Railway. 

The Southern Railway had held discussions with the K-Rail higher officials on the SilverLine Project report and sharing of railway land between November 29, 2023 and December 7. The Railway said in its reply that the K-Rail, however, only explained technical sides of the project during discussions.  

All details were submitted to Southern Railway: K-Rail

Meanwhile, K-Rail informed that it has submitted all the details sought by the Southern Railway in connection with the SilverLine Project. The details on the land and sketch also have been given. It also claimed that there is no technical defect in the detailed project report. It further stated that it has given explanations on all the issues raised by the Railway Board. It is the board which has to take a final decision on the sharing of land, it added.