The Kerala government has decided to abandon the controversial SilverLine semi-high-speed rail corridor project, which was proposed during the previous Left Democratic Front’s (LDF) regime, Chief Minister V D Satheesan announced on Wednesday.
In a key follow-up decision, the state Cabinet resolved to revoke all notifications related to land acquisition for the project, PTI reported. The government will also recommend withdrawing criminal cases filed against project protestors, though the courts will make the final decision. The announcements were made following a Cabinet meeting chaired by the Chief Minister.
Reasons behind the cancellation of the project
While addressing a press conference, Satheesan stated that the United Democratic Front (UDF) had opposed the project because it did not have a “proper Detailed Project Report (DPR)”. He also claimed that the project could have become an “environmental disaster” if implemented.
As per PTI, the chief minister also said that large embankments and walls that were proposed along the corridor could have created serious environmental issues during Kerala’s monsoon season. “It was not a sustainable project”, Satheesan said as quoted by PTI.
He also further explained that the UDF was not against the idea of a high-speed rail corridor, but they are against those projects that could negatively impact Kerala financially and environmentally.
Satheesan mentioned that the alliance concluded that the project was unfeasible after consultations with experts from different fields.
What was the SilverLine project?
The SilverLine project, also known as K-Rail, was proposed as a 529-km semi-high-speed rail corridor connecting Thiruvananthapuram to Kasargod across Kerala. According to an earlier report by The Indian Express, the proposed corridor was planned to pass through 11 districts, with trains operating at speeds of upto 200 kmph. The then government had claimed the project would lessen the travel time between the two cities from nearly 12 hours to around four hours.
The project was to be executed by Kerala Rail Development Corporation Limited, a joint venture between the Kerala government and the Union Railway Ministry.
When SilverLine Project sparked widespread protests across Kerala
The SilverLine project triggered widespread protests in several parts of the state after the previous government initiated land acquisition and social impact assessment activities.
According to The Indian Express, Opposition parties, including the Congress and the BJP, extended support to the local protests. Critics raised serious concerns over large-scale displacement of families, potential environmental damage, and the project’s financial viability.
Activists alleged that the proposed alignment would cut through paddy fields, wetlands, and ecologically sensitive zones. Opposition leaders also warned that the project could push the state deeper into debt while affecting thousands of families through forced land acquisition.
Notably, former Delhi Metro chief E. Sreedharan had earlier described the proposal as “ill-conceived” and raised questions over its planning and execution.
What happens next?
Apart from scrapping the project, the Kerala government has now decided to cancel land acquisition notifications that were earlier issued for SilverLine. The Centre had earlier only sanctioned in-principle approval to the project, and several environmental and administrative clearances were still pending.