K-Rail project scrapped, Keralam CM calls it an environmental disaster

Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Wednesday said that his government has decided to scrap the Silverline semi-high speed rail project, an ambitious initiative of the previous LDF administration. Satheesan said at a press conference here that the notifications regarding land acquisition for the project will be revoked. Satheesan said the government would also recommend the withdrawal of all cases related to protests against the project and the removal of land acquisition-related demarcation markers. Reiterating the government's stance, Satheesan said the administration was not opposed to the high-speed rail project but rejected the SilverLine proposal on grounds of feasibility and environmental impact.  It was not economically viable. There wasn't even a detailed project report," he added.

Cabinet has decided to denotify the land acquired for the #SilverLineProject. Thousands of families have faced prolonged hardship, with restrictions even on selling their own properties. The government will also take steps to withdraw cases registered against people who protested… pic.twitter.com/E8g98xZnwm

— V D Satheesan (@vdsatheesan) May 20, 2026

Following the Cabinet decision, S Rajeevan, general convener of K-Rail Silverline Virudha Janakeeya Samiti, welcomed the move and said the decision marked the culmination of a seven-year struggle. He added that the agitation committee had submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister a day earlier, listing four key demands -- cancellation of the 2020 project decision, withdrawal of the 2021 land acquisition notification, withdrawal of all pending police cases, and removal of yellow survey stones placed in various locations.
The 530-km SilverLine corridor, planned to connect Thiruvananthapuram and Kasaragod, was mooted in 2019 by the previous LDF government as a semi-highspeed rail network. However, the project faced sustained public protests, political opposition and legal hurdles over land acquisition and displacement concerns. The alignment required the acquisition of over 1,200 hectares of land and was projected to displace around 10,000 families, triggering widespread resistance across the state. The project, estimated to cost over Rs 63,000 crore, also faced questions over financial viability and dependence on international loans, along with delays in securing central approvals.