Even as K-Rail officials have been maintaining that the complete detailed project report (DPR) of the 530-km SilverLine will be published only after the ₹63,941-crore project got all sanctions (citing industry norm), its executive summary and other pertinent details have made it to the public domain.
The DPR in its present form has been officially published, it is learnt. “It is not yet the final DPR, since the Railway Board, Union Finance Ministry, NITI Aayog, and even the Union Cabinet might suggest changes, following which it will be revisited,” official sources said.The DPR being available in the public domain comes against the backdrop of Anwar Sadath, MLA, recently moving a privilege motion seeking publishing of the full DPR.
The DPR spread over 3,773 pages in six volumes and compiled by Systra, the general consultant for the semi-high-speed rail project mooted to link Thiruvananthapuram and Kasaragod, contains comprehensive details of the project, including the potential for having aggregator stations at 27 potential towns en route.
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It speaks of geotechnical investigation done by drilling 127 boreholes, approximately every five km and at other important locations. The per train capacity from 2026 to 2053 has been mentioned as 675 passengers per nine-coach train, which can go up to 1,125 passengers for 15-coach trains envisaged from 2042.
It speaks of elevated stations at Kochuveli, Ernakulam, and Thrissur, an underground one at Kozhikode and at-ground stations at all the other seven places, including at the Kochi airport. It speaks of garnering the following revenue from ticket sale - ₹2,276 crore in 2025-26, ₹4,504 crore in 2032-33, ₹10,361 crore in 2042-43, ₹21,827 crore in 2052-53, ₹42,476 crore in 2062-63, and ₹81,139 crore in 2072-73.
The DPR speaks of constructing embankments of the rail with geo-mesh and geo-grid reinforcements to reduce the width of land and increase stability. Banking substantially on green energy, it says 100% power will be sourced from renewable sources such as solar, inhouse production, purchase of renewable power from third party, and from the Kerala State Electricity Board.
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It cites the need for an operation and maintenance organisation to ensure optimal upkeep of all SilverLine assets. The maintenance of major systems may be in-house, and that of minor systems may be outsourced. Maintenance will be done on a preventive and proactive maintenance principle.