Underestimation of project cost and Overestimation of traffic projection by the KRDCL

Admin

Underestimation of project cost and overestimation of traffic projection for a new line project is the gravest form of unprofessionalism and dereliction of duty.

Kerala Rail Development Corporation Ltd (KRDCL) in collusion with Systra drastically increased traffic projection from 37,750 to 67,740 and slashed the cost from INR 71,063 crore to INR 56,443 crore without a proper alignment survey (alignment was prepared on Google Earth and no ground studies), and without an actual traffic survey.

The fact that there is high degree of urban sprawl in Kerala, which is manifest in the fact that the total combined population of the 40 most populated cities of Kerala is less than the population of just one tier-2 city of India like Ahmedabad, Bangalore or Hyderabad was suppreed.

The Preliminary Feasibility Report of March 2019 of Systra which was prepared under guidance of Alok Kumar Verma, former chief engineer, Northern Railway, examined in detail the negative impact of this acute urban sprawl on traffic for a standalone line.

All paragraphs of that report related to this issue were deleted while preparing the Feasibility Report of May 2019 which KRDCL sent to Railway Board for obtaining in principal approval.

The Silverline Imbroglio

Complete dishonesty and manipulations to underestimate cost and overestimate traffic projections to anyhow justify the utterly flawed idea of a standalone line on Standard Gauge. If engineers and high flying consultants behave like this, most foolish ideas will find traction, said Verma.

Kerala Silverline Imbroglio

Verma said that he feel the local media should introspect why it hasn’t asked hard questions even after the national media broke the news about gross overestimation of traffic projections and underestimation of cost and the alignment prepared on Google Earth.

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