Thiruvananthapuram Kasaragod Semi Tender

Project Cost Rs. 63941 croresScope of WorkConstruction of Thiruvananthapuram-Kasaragod Semi-High Speed Rail Corridor Silver Line.DescriptionThe feasibility report of the project had proposed the line to pass through Mahe however the cabinet made minor changes to the alignment proposed in the DPR submitted by the implementing agency Kerala Rail Development Corporation Ltd K-rail a joint venture of the Indian Railways and the Kerala Government.Now as per the changes made by the Cabinet the line will be skipping Mahe an enclave of the Union Territory of Puducherry. While the Kasargod- Tirur stretch of Silver Line will run parallel to the existing railway the TirurThiruvananthapuram section will deviate from the present one.Silver Line will have stations at Thiruvananthapuram Kollam Chengannur Kottayam Ernakulam Cochin Airport Thrissur Tirur Kozhikode Kannur and Kasaragod. The cost of the project is estimated to be Rs 63941 crore. It is expected to be completed in five years. The project has already received the in-principle approval from the Ministry of Railways.Trains will be able to run up to a speed of 200 KM per hour on the two-lane greenfield corridor. The line will be laid through areas with low population density in 15-25 metre width so as to limit the acquisition of land to the barest minimum possible. The land being acquired for the project will be given good compensation under the land acquisition Act.Starting from Thiruvananthapuram trains on the Silver Line will reach Kasaragod in four hours covering a distance of 529.45 km through 11 districts. The running time between the busy Thiruvananthapuram-Ernakulam stretch will be one-and-a-half hours. The DPR was prepared by Paris-based consultancy MS Systra.Ahead of preparing the DPR all vital studies have been conducted including Aerial LiDAR survey environmental impact study scientific soil testing and traffic survey. Besides fast-tracking the states overall development the project will impart greater momentum to the economic activity in the post-COVID recessionary phase. It will generate a lot of jobs during and after its completion and offer plenty of opportunities to NRKs returning home.Silver Line will enhance connectivity with other means of transportation and network most big medium and small towns paving the way for decentralized development. It will ensure easy accessibility to international airports commercial hubs hospitals and cultural centres. This will not only decongest the roads but also reduce road accidents sharply and address the problem of atmospheric pollution. The project will also boost tourism which is a prime source of income for the state.Previous EventJanuary 2020-Hyderabad-based GeoKno India Private Limited completed aerial survey for Kerala Silver Line project.