Kerala pitches for Rs 430 billion semi-high speed corridor

The Kerala government has presented a preliminary project report to the Railway Board for setting up a semi-high speed rail corridor between Kasargod and Thiruvananthapuram. This project is planned for implementation by Kerala Rail Development Corporation Limited (KRDCL), a joint venture between the Kerala government and IR on a 51:49 cost-sharing basis. KRDCL has currently presented three options to the Railway Board – one is to build a double rail track parallel to the existing track, at an estimated cost of Rs 230 billion; the second is a hybrid skyrail, where the rail track will be parallel to the current track wherever possible, at an estimated cost of Rs 430 billion; and the third is to build a conventional skyrail, at an estimated cost of Rs 460 billion. While the first option seems unviable, the odds in favour of the second are the strongest.