KOCHI, SEPT. 15:
The Kerala Government has formed a new public limited company - Kerala High Speed Rail Corporation Ltd - for implementing a high-speed rail network, estimated to cost Rs 77,000 crore.
The 630-km network will connect the State Capital Thiruvananthapuram with Mangalore.
The Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation has been appointed as the nodal agency to develop the project and the...
more... Delhi Metro Rail Corporation was assigned with the pre-feasibility study.
The new company was formed on the basis of the pre-feasibility report submitted by DMRC. Further technical studies and economic evaluation are being planned, a press statement issued here said.
The proposed high-speed corridor will have two parallel tracks in the standard gauge system as the case with Delhi Metro Rail. The high-speed corridor will have an alignment independent of the existing alignment of the Indian Railways in the State.
The project will be implemented as a joint venture between the State Government and a suitable private partner to be selected later.
Mr T. Balakrishnan, Additional Chief Secretary (Industry and Commerce), Mr Alkesh Kumar Sharma, Managing Director, KSIDC, and Mr T.P. Thomas Kutty, Executive Director, KSIDC, are the first directors of the new company.
The company will undertake detailed feasibility report for the project and identify suitable rail technology for implementing the high-speed corridor. Steps have also been initiated for release of a notification for the acquisition of the land needed for implementing the project.
The width of the land required to be acquired for the high speed rail corridor is 13 m. The high-speed corridor will use a green field route to keep the rehabilitation task to the minimum