Defying Budget omission, ‘Metroman’ E Sreedharan kickstarts Kerala high-speed rail project

‘Metroman’ E Sreedharan on Monday formally set the proposed high-speed rail corridor in Kerala in motion, inaugurating a project office in Ponnani even as the state remains outside the rail projects announced in the Union Budget.

The office was opened at 9 am by his wife, Radha, who lit a ceremonial lamp. Sreedharan said the facility would function as a public interface for the project, allowing people to understand the proposal and raise concerns.

“In the first phase, the office will be used to explain the project to people and clear their doubts,” he said.


Public outreach will begin later this month, with meetings scheduled from February 15 starting in Malappuram district, before extending to other districts along the proposed alignment.

With the opening of the office, official work on the project has begun, Sreedharan said, adding that staff would be inducted in phases. Stressing the need for public cooperation, he said, “Whatever we do must benefit the people and not cause trouble. If problems come, we must solve them and move forward.”

According to Sreedharan, fieldwork will commence in April, with key decisions on alignment and station locations to be taken on the ground. The project proposes 22 stations, and the initial fieldwork is expected to be completed before June.

Survey work will follow once public confidence is established. “If people are taken into confidence, there is nothing to fear,” he said.

Sreedharan also said he would not wait for formal orders to begin preparatory work, citing the limited window before the monsoon. “Time is money. We decided not to waste time,” he said.

The proposed high-speed rail line will run from Thiruvananthapuram to Kannur, with a maximum speed of 200 kmph. Sreedharan said the project would be implemented by the Railway Ministry, with the Kerala government’s views to be sought after the detailed project report (DPR) is prepared.

While Sreedharan expressed confidence about securing central approval, the Kerala government is currently pursuing a Regional Rapid Transit System along a similar corridor, setting the stage for a potential policy divergence on the state’s future rail plans.