Survey for laying third track in Ernakulam-Shoranur rail corridor begins
The Hindu
Track to skip curves for speed of up to 130 kmph
Even as the State government says there is no going back on the ₹63,941-crore SilverLine rail corridor, a survey is under way to lay a dedicated third track in the 107-km Ernakulam-Shoranur corridor to cater for express and goods trains, a project which had been mentioned in the Railway budget.
A detailed project report based on the survey will be submitted to the Railway Board for its approval later this year.
Trains would be able to travel at up to 130 kmph along the new track, in comparison with the maximum existing speed of 110 kmph (but average speed still hovers at 45 kmph) on select stretches in the State. The project, which is currently estimated to cost ₹1,500 crore, could cost anything up to ₹5,000 crore depending on the outcome of the survey which would help fix an alignment. The alignment will be located 50 m to 100 m away from the alignment of the existing tracks in places where there are steep curves. This would considerably flatten the curves. The Railway might also have to acquire the leftover land between new and old tracks in such places, informed sources said.