E. Sreedharan, popularly known as India’s “Metro Man,” has proposed an ambitious high-speed rail corridor in Kerala that could become the world’s first fully solar-powered rail network of its scale. The proposed Kerala High-Speed Rail corridor aims to connect Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur through a nearly 470-km semi-high-speed rail system.
According to the proposal, trains could operate at speeds of up to 200 kmph, reducing travel time across Kerala to around three-and-a-half hours. Much of the corridor is planned on elevated viaducts to minimise land acquisition and environmental disruption, two major issues that affected the earlier SilverLine project.
The project is estimated to cost around ₹60,000 crore, with a significant portion proposed to be funded through crowdfunding and tax-free bonds, similar to the financing model used for the Konkan Railway. The proposal also claims the entire rail corridor’s energy needs could be met through captive solar power generation, with surplus electricity supplied to the Kerala State Electricity Board.
The revised alignment reportedly includes around 20 stations connecting key cities and airports across Kerala. Supporters say the project could transform mobility, reduce highway congestion, and create a greener public transport system for the state.
