UDF Scraps SilverLine Project, to De-Notify Land Orders
Govt to review protest cases, remove survey stones
Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Government on Wednesday decided to scrap the proposed Thiruvananthapuram-Kasaragod Silver Line rail corridor project and cancel all related land acquisition orders.
The decision was taken in the Cabinet meeting presided over by V D Satheeshan. Briefing the media, Satheeshan said the project would not move forward as it failed to secure approval from the Centre. "The Silver Line Project is not taking off. The Centre has not approved it either. We have already opposed this project. In fact, people who own land earmarked for it are unable to sell it, so we’ve decided to scrap it," he said.
Kerala witnessed a massive agitation against the Silverline project during the LDF government’s tenure. People refused to allow officials to lay survey stones at the proposed sites, leading to violent clashes with the police. Several cases were registered during the protests.
Satheesan stated that the Home Department would review all cases filed during these projects, and the government would recommend their withdrawal before the courts. All survey stones laid in different parts of the state would be removed at the earliest.
However, the chief minister noted that the UDF government was not opposed to a sustainable high-speed corridor, provided there was a proper DPR.
The affected families organised marches and thanks giving eet corner meetings to hail the govrrnent decisn;
It may be recalled that the Pinarayi Vijayan government had proposed the 530 km semi-high-speed rail corridor connecting Thiruvananthapuram in the south to Kasargod in the north, known as the Silver Line project or K-Rail. However, the project faced massive protests across the state, particularly over land acquisition and the potential environmental impact of such a large undertaking.
Other Cabinet decisions include recommending to the Public Service Commission that the validity of all rank lists set to expire before August 31, 2026, be extended until November 30, 2026. Under Vision 2031, the promises made in the UDF manifesto would be implemented over the next five years.
