The committee is headed by the Secretary, Transport (Railways), who will serve as the convener. Other members include J. Vinayan (Railways), C. Veeramani (Finance), and Sridhar Radhakrishnan (Environment). Their task is to conduct a comprehensive review of the DMRC’s proposal, examining technical feasibility, financial viability, environmental impact, implementation challenges, and the anticipated socio-economic benefits for the state.
N.S.K. Umesh, Officer on Special Duty to the Chief Minister, will assist the committee in its operations. The committee is expected to submit its remarks and recommendations within three weeks of its formation.
The proposed Kerala High-Speed Rail corridor is planned as a 473.20-kilometer standard gauge double line connecting Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur. Designed to be the world’s first green rail corridor, the line will feature 23 stations and is primarily elevated, with the exception of a 6.5-kilometer tunnel in Thiruvananthapuram city. Starting from Poojappura in Thiruvananthapuram and ending at Mundayad in Kannur, the project aims to reduce travel time between these cities to just three hours and 30 minutes.
Trains on the corridor will have a maximum design speed of 200 km/h and an operational speed of up to 180 km/h, with an average commercial speed of 140 km/h. The estimated project cost stands at ₹60,000 crore, with ₹36,000 crore planned as equity contributions from the Central and State governments in a 51:49 ratio. The remaining ₹24,000 crore is proposed to be raised through crowdfunding.
This development marks a key milestone in Kerala’s ambition to introduce a high-speed, eco-friendly rail service that promises to enhance connectivity and foster economic growth within the state.
