Kerala cancels ₹64,000cr SilverLine, cites environmental risks and financial impracticality
India
Kerala's government just canceled the ₹64,000 crore SilverLine semi-high-speed rail project, which was supposed to cut travel time between Thiruvananthapuram and Kasaragod from 12 hours to just four.
Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan said environmental risks and financial impracticality made it impossible to go ahead.
The government will also drop police cases against protesters.
Nearly 20,000 residents feared displacement
Nearly 20,000 residents were potentially displaced by the project, worried about forced surveys, heavy enforcement, and damage to wetlands and flood-prone areas.
Experts questioned whether the train would get enough riders or even work as planned.
Even with promises of compensation, public resistance and technical doubts led to the final cancelation.