Despite Sreedharan’s intervention, Centre refused to give nod for high-speed rail, says CM

Taking a jibe at technocrat E. Sreedharan, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday said that despite the State approaching the Union Railway Ministry with the high-speed rail proposal mooted by Mr. Sreedharan, the Centre refused to grant approval for it. It was against this backdrop that the State government came up with the proposal of the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) for high-speed rail travel.

Speaking after inaugurating a public meeting organised in connection with the Loka Kerala Sabha, the Chief Minister said he, along with K.V. Thomas, Kerala’s special representative in New Delhi, had approached the Union Railway Minister with a proposal for the high-speed rail project. However, the Union Railway Ministry did not give approval.

The State government’s priority is to offer rail journeys at higher speeds for the people of Kerala. The State delegation met the Union Railway Minister as suggested by Mr. Sreedharan to make the project a reality. However, the State had to face a slew of obstacles despite the intervention of Mr. Sreedharan, he said.