Thiruvananthapuram: As the second LDF government marks its one-year anniversary on Friday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan emphasised the importance of completing the state's flagship SilverLine rail corridor project, saying the government is forced to consider alternative transportation options that are both cost-effective and environmentally friendly due to rising fuel prices and carbon emissions.

He described the multibillion-dollar semi-high-speed rail project as an investment in Kerala's future, saying the 530-kilometer south-north track would assist the state overcome obstacles to its industrial growth and development.
The need for alternative transportation modes has prompted the government to invest in rail transport, national highway development, coastal and hill highways, national waterway development, and airport development, according to Vijayan in an article written to commemorate his government's first anniversary.

The Chief Minister affirmed SilverLine's implementation at a time when the opposition parties, the Congress and the BJP, as well as local residents in various parts of the state, staged violent protests against the multibillion-dollar project, citing its astronomical cost and negative environmental and social impact.

"Steps are being taken to perform a social impact analysis in the districts where the rail route runs. The Chief Minister stated, "Land acquisition cells have been constituted, and landowners would receive generous compensation when their property is acquired for the project."

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