Relevance: GS-3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment; Infrastructure: Railways; Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

Key Phrases: SilverLine Project, semi high-speed railway, railway infrastructure, capacity utilization, public finance system, public debt burden, strengthening the natural capital, cost escalation, planning transport system, Broad and Standard Gauge, Train 18 (Vande Bharat Express).

Why in News?

• Protests are taking place across Kerala against SilverLine, a semi high-speed railway project that envisages trains running at 200 km/h between the state’s northern and southern ends.

Key Points:

• SilverLine, the independent railway system for Kerala, proposed to be constructed and operated by the Kerala Rail Development Corporation Ltd (K-Rail), is the single biggest development project in the state’s history.
• Its construction will cut across 11 of Kerala’s 14 districts, covering a distance of about 600 km, from north to south.
• The project, estimated to cost Rs 63,940 crore, is billed as one of the biggest infrastructure plans of present Kerala Government.

Need:

• Urban policy experts have long been arguing that the existing railway infrastructure in Kerala cannot meet the demands of the future.
• Most trains run at an average speed of 45 km/hr due to a lot of curves and bends on the existing stretch.
• The train traffic in the existing double line between Thiruvananthapuram and Kasaragod has increased manifold and some of the sections have capacity utilization of more than 115%.
  • It is expected that the SilverLine project can take a significant load of traffic off the existing stretch and make travel faster for commuters, which in turn will reduce congestion on roads and help reduce accidents.
• The line will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions, help in expansion of Ro-Ro services, produce employment opportunities, integrate airports and IT corridors, and enable faster development of cities it passes through.

Issues:

• Concern regarding Public finance:
  • Critics argues that given the perilous nature of Kerala’s public finance system, government should focus top on enhancing tax collection efficiency, instead of increasing the public debt burden that will, in all likelihood, constrain future developmental and non-developmental expenditure.
  • Moreover, given the devastating floods of 2018 and 2019, as well as the continuing climate-related adverse events and the Covid-19 pandemic, experts suggest that government efforts, energy and resources be primarily directed to environmental restoration and strengthening the natural capital (land, water and other bio-resources) and the creation of a strong public healthcare system.
• Feasibility Concern:
  • Given the projected ticket prices of SilverLine, the only competition will be with airfares or first-class train fares.
  • The estimate of 80,000 people travelling per day is not a realistic one.
  • Kerala’s experience in implementing public projects in irrigation, electricity generation and roads and bridges, have been marred with delays.
  • Some of the irrigation projects are still in the construction mode even after spending several times the initial cost estimate for 30 to 40 years.
  • Critics fear that such poor record will lead to cost escalation of already expensive project.
• Socio-economic Concern: A petition, addressed to the Union Railways Minister, said the project was financially unviable and would lead to displacement of over 30,000 families.
• Environmental Concerns:
  • Local Civil societies and green activists allege that SilverLine would cause great environmental harm as its route cuts through precious wetlands, paddy fields and hills.
  • The project is expected to have serious impact on the natural flow of watercourses and land masses that come in the way of the project.
  • Concerns has been raised that building of embankments on either side of the major portion of the line will block natural drainage and cause floods during heavy rains.
• Issues have also been raised in planning for the development of the transport system:
  • Kerala have five modes of transportation: Road, rail, air, inland waterways and sea-based coastal transport.
  • It has disproportionate dependence on the road system. Despite having the highest road density among all the states, the poor condition of Kerala’s roads calls for urgent attention.
  • The state’s water transport system is still underdeveloped and the once-active inland waterway transport system has steadily deteriorated.
  • From a development planning perspective, it’s important to take stock of the existing state of Kerala’s transportation system, point out its shortcomings, find ways to address them and seek a balance among the five modes.
• Technical Concerns:
  • India’s technological and managerial strength lies in its vast broad-gauge-based railway network that has a 160-year-old history.
  • By opting for a different technological system — the standard gauge — State will be importing and planting an alien technology whose installation, operation and management will be entirely controlled by foreign corporate entities.
  • E Sreedharan, former Delhi Metro head, said the present proposal needs a lot of correction including its basic track width.
• Impact on other Industries:
  • Given the massive nature of the construction, the demand for natural resources (such as granite, sand and soil) and manufactured high-carbon footprint materials (such as steel and cement) will be so enormous that they might trigger environmental adversities with long-term social and economic consequences.
  • The project might also trigger a price rise for these resources upset the initial cost calculations besides adversely affecting the construction industry.

Way Forward:

• Given its massive size, geographical coverage and the likely social and environmental impacts, the publication of its techno-economic feasibility reports should have preceded the state government’s decision to proceed with the project.
• State government should release the techno-economic feasibility reports to enable wider discussion.
  • Subjecting this project proposal to a discussion in the Kerala legislative assembly as well as in the public sphere is not only in keeping with the spirit of democratic governance but would also set a precedent.
• Once a project is found to be techno-economically feasible, it is important to follow up with social as well as environmental impact studies.
  • Issues relating to social and environmental impacts, deserve to be studied in detail by independent experts.
• On the basis of such discussions, the government of Kerala will be in a position to take an appropriate decision.
• India has already demonstrated the feasibility of manufacturing and operating a new high-speed railway train system called Train 18 (Vande Bharat Express) that is being expanded to cover several routes. Experts suggests that this new railway system can be one of the alternatives.

Conclusion:

• Public discussions have so far raised several questions and pointed to fears and anxieties that must be removed. Protests have also taken place across the state.
  It is, therefore, highly desirable to wait till the feasibility reports are published and public opinions and expert comments are heard.

Source: Indian Express

Mains Question:

Q. Ecologically sensitive regions should take extra precautions while taking massive developmental projects. Comment in light of the Silverline project in Kerala.