The Kerala government’s ambitious K-Rail project, also known as the SilverLine, has received a potential boost with Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirming that the project can move forward once the state addresses outstanding technical and environmental concerns. During a recent meeting with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in New Delhi, Vaishnaw urged prompt resolution of these issues to expedite the project's progress.

During an inspection at Thrissur railway station, Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw called on Kerala’s Chief Minister to swiftly address technical and environmental concerns surrounding the K-Rail project, urging for adjustments that would allow the project to move forward. Emphasizing the NDA government's commitment to cooperative federalism, Vaishnaw highlighted the need for collaborative action to tackle these critical issues, especially on the Ernakulam-Kozhikode stretch.

The SilverLine project proposes a 530-km semi high-speed rail corridor connecting Thiruvananthapuram and Kasaragod, reducing travel time between Kerala’s northern and southern ends to under four hours from the current 10–12 hours. With a target operating speed of 200 km/h, the project is expected to cost at least Rs 1 lakh crore, significantly higher than its initial estimate of Rs 64,000 crore.

Despite the Centre’s support, Vaishnaw criticized the state’s slow pace of land acquisition for various railway projects. He revealed that only 14% of the 460 hectares required for rail development in Kerala has been acquired, despite the Centre having deposited Rs 2,100 crore for the process.

Intermediate stations along the SilverLine route are planned in key cities, including Kollam, Chengannur, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Tirur, Kozhikode, and Kannur, facilitating faster north-south connectivity within the state.