A high-speed rail corridor linking Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur is under the active consideration of the Union government, technocrat and former Konkan Railway chairman E. Sreedharan has said. The project, estimated to cost ₹1 lakh crore, is proposed to be completed within five years.
Mr. Sreedharan said the Centre was expected to announce the project in two weeks and added that he would lead its execution. He recently held discussions with Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in New Delhi. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will be the implementing agency, he said.
Alternative to K-Rail
The proposed high-speed rail line will serve as an alternative to the State government’s SilverLine (K-Rail) project promoted by the Left Democratic Front (LDF). Mr. Sreedharan said that land acquisition would not pose a major challenge for the project.
According to him, trains on the corridor would operate at speeds of up to 200 kmph. Travel time from Thiruvananthapuram to Kochi would be about one hour and 20 minutes, while Kozhikode could be reached in two-and-a-half hours and Kannur in three hours and 15 minutes.
The line would have 22 stations along the route and would require only one-third of the land needed for the SilverLine project. Nearly 70% of the corridor would be elevated, with another 20% running underground. The rail line would also connect the airports at Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Karipur, and Kannur.
Land acquisition
Mr. Sreedharan said only the bare minimum land would be acquired. Landowners would be allowed to continue agricultural activities once the pillars were constructed, though construction of buildings and planting of large trees would not be permitted. “The land will be returned to the owners after the pillars are built, and they can use the land for farming,” he said.
Stations will be located roughly every 25 km. The proposed stops are Thiruvananthapuram Central, Thiruvananthapuram Airport, Varkala, Kollam, Kottarakara, Adoor, Chengannur, Kottayam, Vaikom, Ernakulam, Aluva, Nedumbassery, Thrissur, Kunnamkulam, Edappal, Tirur, Karipur, Kozhikode, Koyilandy, Vadakara, Thalassery, and Kannur.
Initially, the trains will operate with eight coaches, accommodating up to 560 passengers, with provision to expand up to 16 coaches in the future. The construction cost is estimated at approximately Rs. 200 crore per kilometre.
Published – January 24, 2026 07:28 pm IST
