KOCHI: Following the new government’s decision to scrap the SilverLine semi-high-speed rail project, Metroman E Sreedharan has come forward with an answer to the question of what lies next for Kerala’s transport infrastructure. He is gearing up to submit an interim project report for his proposed Thiruvananthapuram-Kannur high-speed rail corridor to the Central Government. The interim report is being submitted now as compiling a Detailed Project Report (DPR) will require more time.
E Sreedharan envisions a 465-km-long high-speed rail corridor connecting Thiruvananthapuram to Kannur. This high-speed line, which intends to link the Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode, and Kannur airports, covers a total distance of 465 kilometers. Sreedharan states that trains capable of sprinting at a speed of 180 km/h can cover the distance between Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur in just three hours and 20 minutes. Once the interim project report is submitted, the Centre is likely to seek the opinion of the state government based on the findings. According to a report by Mathrubhumi, Sreedharan is hopeful that the state government will consult him when such a situation arises. Sreedharan had previously noted that the project, once completed, would be capable of handling five lakh commuters daily.
(With inputs from MN)
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