Kerala CM Oommen Chandy vouches for light metro again

Thiruvananthapuram: Though Chief Minister Oommen Chandy reiterated yet again that the light metro projects at Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram were still on, overcoming bureaucratic hurdles is going to be a challenge for the UDF government. 

 

Mr Chandy, at the cabinet briefing, stressed that the finance department had come up with an alternate proposal but it was no different with the one by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), the project consultant. 

He said that the government had held a couple of discussions in this regard and would come up with a final decision very soon. He reiterated that the project would be finalised only after consultation with Metroman E Sreedharan. 

 

The finance department has strongly recommended to the government to go in for a global tender to choose the turn-key consultant to execute the light metro projects.  A final decision on the projects will be announced by the State after the Aruvikkara bypoll.

 

“There is a strong lobby in the government who does not want E Sreedharan or DMRC to be part of these projects. Overcoming such challenges is the success of any government with a strong willpower.

 

The metro project at Vijayawada, which was planned after the light metro projects in Kerala were conceived, is all set to take off. This delay is totally unwarranted and has had an adverse impact on the project. This delay is going to cost the government dear. A minimum of 7.5 percent inflation is expected annually if the project is delayed,” said the official.