In an attempt to speed up construction of the Kochi metro project, the government on Tuesday decided to permit the Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) to acquire land directly for the project.
The high level review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in Thiruvananthapuram, decided that KMRL can directly acquire eight hectares of land from land owners. Ernakulam district collector M G Rajamanickam and KMRL MD Elias George will decide the land value.
The meeting also decided to grant an amount of `70 crore for the Vyttila-Petta reach of the project.
The KMRL will get the nod for acquiring land after approval of rates by the DLPC and SLEC on the lines of a Government Order in this regard.
Land acquisition for the project has run into trouble because of the promulgation of the new Act without formulating the corresponding rules and procedures.
Out of the 8.822 hectares of land to be acquired for the project, 5.696 hectares can be bought with the consent of the land owners.
The amount of `70 crores will be given for land acquisition from PWD for the widening of the Vyttila-Petta reach which involves the acquisition of 3.0138 hectares. This is aimed at speeding up of the work in this reach.
The high level meeting has asked Kerala Water Authority to complete pipe laying work through SA road on a priority basis. It was decided in the meeting to finish all the work by the end of next month and handover that place to DMRC for work.
The meeting also assigned KMRL MD Elias George to hold discussions with the authorities of St Albert’s college regarding the land acquisition at Kaloor.
An area of 98 cents of land is required from the land leased to the college for its football ground, in front of the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium for construction of the metro station. The KMRL MD has been entrusted with the task of holding discussions with them to make the land available.
The remaining major issues including widening of Thammanam - Pullepady road, reconstruction of the South RoB, construction of Pachalam RoB and Edappally fly over will be discussed at the next meeting to be held on May 7 in Thiruvananthapuram.
Speaking at the meeting, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said the construction work of Kochi Metro Rail project should be completed in a time-bound manner.
Minister in-charge of Railways Aryadan Mohammed, revenue minister Adoor Prakash, DMRC Principal advisor E Sreedharan, Kochi Metro Rail MD Elias George, Additional Chief Secretary V J Kurian and officials from various departments attended the review meeting.
E Sreedharan later said that the tender for the rolling stock of engine and bogey will be floated by June.