Key Kerala Rapid Transit Corporation Ltd meet to decide on Light Metro

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After over a year-long deadlock, the board of Kerala Rapid Transit Corporation Ltd (KRTL) is meeting on Friday to discuss the fate of its light metro projects here and Kozhikode.

Almost 19 months have gone by since revised detailed project reports went for the cabinet nod.The government had formed a committee headed by secretaries of PWD, transport and finance departments to study the project report, revised according to the Centres' new metro policy.

However, the KRTL chaired by the chief minister is yet to discuss the report submitted by the committee, which would probably decide the future of the light metro projects.

"We had to revise the report on the lines of the new metro policy of the Centre," an official said.

"We will be able to submit the DPR to the Centre only after getting the cabinet nod. Once the board approves it, the report would come up for discussion in the Cabinet."

DC learns that the estimated cost of the project has gone up following the revisions in the DPR. Both the light metros are estimated to cost around Rs 4000 crore.The state and Centre would chip in 20 per cent of the project costs each while 60 per cent of the funds would be debt.

Union road transport minister Nitin Gadkari had last month suggested "cost-effective" Skybus metros for Kerala cities, instead of going for capital intensive projects.

The previous government conceived light metros for the two cities after the Kochi Metro. But its low commuter patronage prompted the present government to go slow on them.