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Rail Ministry asks Kerala to revise DPR for SilverLine to broad gauge
The Union Railway Ministry has asked Kerala to revise the Detailed Project Report for the SilverLine semi-high-speed corridor to use broad gauge instead of standard gauge. The DPR for the Thiruvananthapuram–Kasaragod corridor should be updated in consultation with Western Railway, as the Railway Board develops standards for a semi-high-speed BG corridor, drawing from the Sarkhej–Dholera project.
Why It Matters
The directive affects Kerala’s long-pending SilverLine project by changing gauge requirements and mandating coordination with Western Railway, potentially influencing project timelines and funding.
Timeline
1 Event
Rail Ministry directs Kerala to revise DPR for SilverLine to broad gauge
April 21, 2026
The Union Railway Ministry has revived hopes for Kerala’s semi-high-speed rail project, SilverLine, by asking the State to revise the Detailed Project Report to use broad gauge (BG) tracks instead of the originally proposed standard gauge. The corridor from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod is now required to be BG. The Railway Board is developing standards for a semi-high-speed BG corridor, drawing from the Sarkhej–Dholera project under Western Railway in Gujarat. Kerala Rail Development Corporation Limited (K-Rail) has been advised to revise the DPR in consultation with Western Railway.