KOCHI: The Union Government had instructed Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to speed up implementation of Kochi Metro Rail project, Secretary of Urban Development Ministry Rajiv Gauba said on Tuesday. Gauba, who chaired a high-level meeting with officials of DMRC and Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) in Kochi, said the implementing agency should make sure the project was completed by the April, 2017, deadline. His comments came after officials participating in the meeting remarked that the proposed deadline of Kochi Metro Rail project would be affected if the work continued at its current pace.
“The construction is in the final phase. There is need for increasing number of technical experts at this stage. So, DMRC should ensure the presence of more experts from Delhi. It should also consider increasing the number of workers, if necessary,” instructed Gauba. In the meeting, KMRL officials had pointed out the need for more technical support from experts for the project.
KMRL is planning to launch commercial operations of metro rail by April, 2017. For that, it needs to complete all construction works by January.
However, strikes by employees unions and adverse climate affected the work’s progress, while delay in land acquisition proved to be one of the major challenges for the implementing agency. Still, Gauba expressed confidence that the project would be completed by the deadline. KMRL Managing Director Elias George and DMRC managing director Mangu Singh also attended the meeting.