Thiruvananthapuram: The Cabinet has approved the alignment of rails for the ambitious Silver Line Express, a semi-high-speed rail project connecting Thiruvananthapuram and Kasaragod.

After opposition from the Puducherry government, the final alignment has undergone slight modifications near Mahe and Vadakara.

With the introduction of Silver Line, a journey from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram will take just under four hours (3 hours, 52 mins). The fastest train in Kerala now takes at least 9 hours to travel this distance.

The journey from Thrissur (in central Kerala) to Thiruvananthapuram will take 1 hour and 54 minutes, while a journey from Thrissur to Kasaragod will take 1 hour and 57 minutes. Thrissur is the only station between Tirur and Ernakulam stations.

Kerala Rail Development Corporation is spearheading the project.

The Kerala government had in April decided to go ahead with the rail project despite the financial crisis created following the COVID-19 aftermath.

Now, with the cabinet approval, the report would be submitted to the Railway Board for its nod.

The project involves a total cost of Rs 63,941 crore, of which Rs 33,700 crore would be obtained through loans. The remaining amount has to be borne by the Central and State governments.

An amount of Rs 13,000 required for land acquisitions and distributing compensations would be sought from KIIFB (Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board). There is also a plan to issue shares to landowners and take over their land.

While Kerala Rail Development Corporation has initiated measures to avail a foreign loan, the chief minister had made it clear that land acquisition would start in 2020 itself.

After the Railway Board Clears the project report, sanction has to be obtained from NITI Aayog, ministerial committee and Union Cabinet.