Thiruvananthapuram: 'Metroman' E Sreedharan has reacted to Kerala being left out of the seven bullet train corridors announced in the Union Budget, stating that bullet trains are not suitable for the state and that what Kerala truly needs is a semi-high-speed rail system.
Sreedharan said bullet trains would not be beneficial for Kerala and stressed that the state requires trains with speeds of up to 200 kmph, with an operational speed of around 180 kmph, rather than the 350 kmph bullet trains announced in the Budget.
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He said it was not surprising that there was no mention of Kerala's rail project in the Union Budget, adding that the Railway Minister had already conveyed this to him earlier. According to Sreedharan, the bullet train projects announced in the Budget are designed for speeds of 350 kmph, which do not align with Kerala's requirements.
Sreedharan also announced that work on preparing the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for Kerala's high-speed rail project would begin soon under his leadership. He said a team of around ten people has already been selected for the project and that a small office will be opened as early as tomorrow.
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An amount of approximately Rs 13.1 crore has been sought for preparing the DPR, he said. Sreedharan added that his role would be similar to that of a Principal Advisor with comprehensive powers, as was the case during the Kochi Metro project, including authority over appointments and key project decisions.
Kerala found little to cheer in the Budget presented by Sitharaman, with several long-anticipated projects missing from the Centre's plans. The state was not included in the proposed high-speed rail corridors, while neighbouring Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Telangana featured in the network expansion.
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Expectations were driven by the upcoming Assembly elections, with the BJP seeking to make inroads in a state largely dominated by the CPM-led LDF and the Congress-led UDF.
However, the Budget did include Kerala in a broader industrial initiative.
A scheme for Rare Earth Permanent Magnets, launched in November 2025, proposes support for mineral-rich states including Odisha, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The plan envisions dedicated Rare Earth Corridors to boost mining, processing, research and manufacturing in the sector.
In the environmental sector, the Centre announced the establishment of Turtle Trails along key nesting sites in coastal regions of Odisha, Karnataka and Kerala, aimed at conservation and eco-tourism.