Kerala’s long-discussed Silver Line semi-high-speed rail project has hit a roadblock. The proposed corridor between Thiruvananthapuram and Kasaragod, planned to create a faster north-south rail link across the state, will not move ahead for now.
In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on July 31, 2026, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the Kerala government decided not to proceed with the project in its present form. Instead, the focus is now shifting towards strengthening the existing railway network through new lines, track doubling and capacity upgrades.
Thiruvananthapuram–Kannur high-speed rail proposal also put on hold
The Railway Ministry also mentioned a separate high-speed rail proposal between Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur on standard gauge, which was submitted by former Delhi Metro chief Dr E. Sreedharan. After reviewing the interim report, an expert committee appointed by the Kerala government concluded that the proposal could not move forward in its current form.
₹11,650 crore railway push to improve connectivity
With the high-speed rail proposals not moving ahead, the focus has shifted towards expanding and strengthening Kerala’s existing railway network. Sharing details in his written reply, Ashwini Vaishnaw said that nine railway projects covering 302 km in Kerala have been sanctioned as of April 1, 2026, with a total estimated cost of ₹11,650 crore.
These projects include three new railway line works spanning 148 km and six doubling or multitracking projects covering 154 km. So far, around 40 km of these projects have been completed, with an expenditure of ₹3,867 crore recorded till March 2026.
Key railway doubling projects underway in Kerala
Several important railway sections in Kerala are being expanded with additional tracks to improve capacity, reduce congestion and help run more trains on busy routes. The major doubling projects shared by the Railway Ministry include:
| Railway Section | Length | Project Cost |
| Ernakulam–Kumbalam doubling | 8 km | ₹808 crore |
| Kumbalam–Turavur doubling | 16 km | ₹1,172 crore |
| Turavur–Mararikulam doubling | 21 km | ₹451 crore |
| Mararikulam–Alappuzha doubling | 11 km | ₹221 crore |
| Alappuzha–Ambalapuzha doubling | 13 km | ₹324 crore |
| Total | 69 km | ₹2,976 crore |
Shoranur–Coimbatore to get third and fourth railway lines
Another major capacity improvement planned for Kerala is the expansion of the Shoranur–Coimbatore section. The Final Location Survey (FLS) has been approved for preparing the Detailed Project Report (DPR), and field survey work has already been completed. The additional lines are expected to improve connectivity between Kerala and Tamil Nadu, especially for passenger and freight movement.
Angamali–Sabarimala rail project faces land hurdles
According to the details provided by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in the Rajya Sabha, the 111-km Angamali–Sabarimala new railway line project is also facing delays due to pending land acquisition. The project, sanctioned at a cost of ₹3,801 crore, is expected to improve rail connectivity towards the Sabarimala pilgrimage region.
The Railway Minister said that railway projects across Kerala require around 618 hectares of land, but only 78 hectares (13%) have been acquired so far, leaving nearly 540 hectares still pending. The Railways has already deposited ₹1,976 crore with the Kerala government for the land acquisition process.