Centre directs DPR revision for Kerala’s semi-high-speed rail to align with broad gauge standards

The Union Railway Ministry has revived hopes for Kerala’s long-pending semi-high-speed rail project, SilverLine, by asking the State to revise the Detailed Project Report (DPR). The proposed corridor from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod is now required to use broad gauge (BG) tracks instead of the originally proposed standard gauge tracks.

This directive comes as the Railway Board develops standards and specifications for a semi-high-speed BG corridor, drawing from its ongoing Sarkhej–Dholera project under Western Railway in Gujarat. The Kerala Rail Development Corporation Limited (K-Rail), the joint venture responsible for implementing railway projects in the State, has been advised to revise the DPR in consultation with Western Railway.