Metro man Sreedharan’s solar rail idea runs into Kerala govt roadblock

3 min readUpdated: Jul 15, 2026 12:36 PM IST

The Congress-led Kerala government has red-flagged metro man E Sreedharan’s proposal for a Rs 60,000-crore solar rail corridor, flagging concerns over the project’s economic and environmental feasibility.

Last month, the government constituted an expert committee to study the DMRC’s interim report for the Kerala high-speed rail corridor between the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram, and Kannur in north Kerala. The state government has decided to take forward the DMRC proposal after winding up all steps related to the SilverLine, or K-Rail, project of the previous CPI(M) regime.

Chief Minister V D Satheesan told the media that the expert committee, in its report, has pointed out that the proposed project cannot be implemented in its current format.

“The expert committee has recommended against going ahead with the project or initiating any steps, including land acquisition. The DMRC report is not a good economic model. The corridor has not stated anything about logistics movement — it relies only on passenger movement. There is no clarity on the number of passengers once the project is completed. Without freight movement, the corridor will not be economically viable. The expert committee has also flagged Kerala’s limited financial resources for a mega project of this nature,” he said.

Satheesan said the government will study the expert committee’s report before taking a decision. “The DMRC report is incomplete. While the previous government moved ahead with the K-Rail, SilverLine, project, we opposed it, raising environmental concerns. We do not want to repeat the dangers of K-Rail,” he said.

In February this year, Sreedharan opened an office for the project in his hometown, Ponnani in Malappuram district, towards which the previous CPI(M) regime had remained tepid. After the new government came to office, Sreedharan revived the project and forwarded the DMRC’s report in May.

The proposed Kerala High-Speed Rail (KHSR) is a 473.20-km double line from Thiruvananthapuram City (Poojapura) to Kannur (Mundayad), with 23 stations. The line will be fully elevated except for a 6.5-km tunnel stretch in Thiruvananthapuram city. It will connect all Kerala airports except Kannur, which will be linked through an exclusive 10-km road. The proposed travel time from Thiruvananthapuram to Kannur is 3 hours and 30 minutes.

Story continues below this ad

The report said the system’s energy requirements would be met through a captive solar network, which would also sell surplus power to the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB). If implemented, it would become the world’s first green rail corridor, the report said.

The project cost is estimated at Rs 60,000 crore, of which Rs 36,000 crore will be met through equity contributions by the Centre and the state in a 51:49 ratio. The remaining Rs 24,000 crore is proposed to be raised through crowdfunding.

Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's coverage from Kerala. With over 25 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political, religious, and developmental landscape of South India.

Expertise, Experience, and Authority

Decades of Regional Specialization: Shaju has spent more than two decades documenting the "Kerala Model" of development, its complex communal dynamics, and its high-stakes political environment.

Key Coverage Beats: His extensive reporting portfolio includes:

Political & Governance Analysis: In-depth tracking of the LDF and UDF coalitions, the growth of the BJP in the state, and the intricate workings of the Kerala administration.

Crime & Investigative Journalism: Noted for his coverage of high-profile cases such as the gold smuggling probe, political killings, and the state’s counter-terrorism efforts regarding radicalization modules.

Crisis Management: He has led ground-level reporting during major regional crises, including the devastating 2018 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, and the Covid-19 pandemic response. ... Read More

Tags:

Kerala