A high-speed rail corridor connecting Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur is under active consideration by the Union government, said technocrat and former Konkan Railway Chairman E. Sreedharan. The project, estimated to cost ₹1 crore, is expected to be completed within five years.
Mr. Sreedharan said the Center is expected to announce the project within two weeks, adding that he will lead its implementation. He recently held talks with Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in New Delhi. According to him, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will be the implementing agency.
Alternative to K-Rail
The proposed high-speed rail line will serve as an alternative to the government’s SilverLine (K-Rail) project supported by the Left Democratic Front (LDF). Mr. Sreedharan said land acquisition would not be a major challenge for the project.
According to him, trains on the corridor would travel at a speed of up to 200 km/h. The journey from Thiruvananthapuram to Kochi would be around 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 require only one third of the land needed for the SilverLine project. Almost 70% of the corridor would be elevated and another 20% would be underground. The rail line would also connect airports in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Karipur and Kannur.
Purchase of land
Mr. Sreedharan said that only minimum land would be acquired. Landowners would be able to continue agricultural activities once the pillars are erected, although construction of buildings and planting of large trees would not be allowed. “After the pillars are built, the land will be returned to the owners and they can use it for agriculture,” he said.
Stations will be located approximately 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, V. Kozhikode, Tha Kolas Kozhikode, Tha Koylas Kozhikode, Kannur.
Initially, the trains will operate with eight cars with a capacity of up to 560 passengers, with the possibility of expanding to 16 cars in the future. The construction costs are estimated at approx. CZK. 200 million per kilometer.
Published – 24 Jan 2026 19:28 IST
