Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government has decided to scrap the proposed Thiruvananthapuram-Kasaragod SilverLine rail corridor project and denotify all land acquisition orders related to it.
Announcing the decision after the second Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Chief Minister V D Satheesan said the project would not move forward as it had failed to secure approval from the Centre.
“The project is not taking off. The Central government has not approved it either. We had also opposed this. The people who own the land are unable to sell it. So we have decided to cancel the project,” Satheesan told reporters.
The Chief Minister also said the Home Department would examine all cases registered in connection with protests against the SilverLine project and recommend their withdrawal before the courts. All survey stones laid as part of the project will also be removed, he added.
The Kerala CM also pointed out that the UDF government was not against a sustainable high-speed corridor with a proper DPR.
The SilverLine project, also known as K-Rail, was a proposed 530-km semi-high-speed rail corridor connecting Thiruvananthapuram in the south to Kasaragod in the north. Conceived by the previous LDF government, the project had triggered widespread protests across Kerala, particularly over land acquisition and environmental concerns. The LDF government had begun placing survey stones on land identified for acquisition around seven years ago.
The Cabinet also decided to recommend to the PSC that the validity of all rank lists set to expire before August 31, 2026, be extended till November 30, 2026.
“The promises in the UDF manifesto have been divided among different departments. It is called Vision 2031. It is to be implemented within the next five years,” Chief Minister V D Satheesan said.
The UDF government will also roll out a 100-day action plan to fast-track implementation of its high-priority agenda. The plan will come into effect from June 1 after gathering feedback from various departments.
The Cabinet also constituted a sub-committee to make recommendations to the Central government for Padma awards. Advocate Mohammed Shah has been appointed Additional Advocate General in the Kerala High Court.
