Dr E Sreedharan, former chief of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and who designed and built Konkan Railway, said on Thursday that the proposed 593 km long Silver Line Semi High Speed Rail (popularly known as K-Rail) to be built by the Kerala Government would lead the State to an ecological and environmental disaster.
“Out of the 593 km long Rail, 393km long stretch needs high rise walls on both sides to prevent animals and human beings trespassing into the tracks. This is sure recipe for ecological disaster. The entire 393 km track would swallow waterways which in turn would lead to a deluge in the event of heavy rainfall,” warned Sreedharan in a statement.
Meanwhile Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said at the capital city on Thursday that come whatever may, there was no question of the Government going back in its word.
The country’s pioneer Rail expert was reacting to Vijayan’s statement on Wednesday that the Silver Line Semi High Speed Rail would not lead to any ecological or environmental imbalance. But the Chief Minister said that it was not the time to disclose the Detailed Project Report which is kept as a classified document by the Kerala Government.
Sreedharan asked the Government what was so secret about the DPR. “I myself headed many projects and had prepared their DPRs which were never hidden from the public. There is something which the government wants to hide and that is the reason behind this secrecy,” said Sreedharan.
He said the Government of Kerala is cheating the people of the State by showing manipulated figures as the cost of production.
“The Government is not transparent in its claim that no additional land would be required for the K Rail. If they want to constrict Rail Over Bridges and underground tunnels, then they would be forced to acquire more lands than what they have claimed,” said Sreedharan.