High-Speed rail project still alive, but fresh studies must before DPR: CM Satheesan

Thiruvananthapuram, July 15 (IANS) The proposed high-speed rail corridor prepared by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) under the guidance of Metro Man E. Sreedharan has not been shelved, but the state government has made it clear that the project will move forward only after crucial technical and economic studies are completed.

Briefing reporters after the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan said an expert committee constituted by the government had examined the DMRC report and submitted its recommendations.

The committee found that while the DMRC report provides a valuable foundation, it cannot be treated as a comprehensive project report.

The proposal does not include a mandatory Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), nor does it specify the extent of land acquisition required for the corridor.

The Chief Minister said the government would first undertake detailed studies on the project’s financial and operational viability, including the potential for freight and logistics movement.

He noted that passenger revenue alone would not be sufficient to make the project economically sustainable, making additional sources of revenue essential.

Only after these preliminary studies are completed will the government proceed to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR), which will form the basis for any final decision on implementation.

CM Satheesan stressed that the government would adopt a cautious and transparent approach before committing to a project of such magnitude.

“We do not want to repeat the mistakes made in the much-publicised K-Rail project of the previous Left government, which ultimately had to be shelved,” he said, adding that the government would carefully apply its mind before deciding the way forward.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet also decided to strengthen project monitoring across departments.

A comprehensive project-mapping exercise will be undertaken to identify delays that are placing an increasing financial burden on the State exchequer.

The government will introduce a new accountability framework and implementation protocol aimed at ensuring timely execution of projects, fixing responsibility for delays and improving overall efficiency in public infrastructure development.

–IANS

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