Kerala approves ₹1.92 lakh crore high-speed rail; Work on Travancore Line from 2027

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government has moved ahead with plans to implement a Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) as an alternative to the stalled SilverLine project, with the Transport Department issuing a formal order to this effect.

The RRTS aims to reduce travel time across the state, strengthen regional connectivity and expand access to employment and educational opportunities, taking into account Kerala’s unique geography and high population density. The State decided to give in-principle approval to the RRTS after the SilverLine project encountered technical objections from Indian Railways and faced public protests in several areas.

The proposed RRTS corridor is envisaged as a 583-km high-speed rail network running from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod, to be completed over a 12-year period. The project is planned in four phases, with approval now granted for the first phase — a 284-km stretch from Thiruvananthapuram to Thrissur, to be known as the Travancore Line.

According to the government’s plan, construction of the first phase is expected to begin in 2027 and be completed by 2033. The estimated cost of the project stands at ₹1.92 lakh crore.

To minimise land acquisition and address environmental and demographic concerns, most of the corridor will be built as elevated tracks using an elevated viaduct model, the order said.

The RRTS network is planned to integrate with the existing Kochi Metro as well as the proposed metro systems in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode. The funding model will be broadly based on the Delhi–Meerut RRTS project, with 20 per cent of the cost to be borne by the State government, 20 per cent by the Union government, and the remaining 60 per cent raised through long-term loans from international financial institutions.