After a keenly-awaited round of discussions with Metroman E Sreedharan here on Wednesday, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy announced that DMRC itself will execute the Kochi Metro Rail project and that the former will lead it. The CM has also sent letters to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Union Urban Affairs Development Minister Kamal Nath and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit urging them to clear outstanding issues with the DMRC.
This comes amid a frantic bid by the UDF government to wriggle out of the Kochi Metro mess and clear the feeling that overt and covert attempts are being made to cut Metroman E Sreedharan to size and eventually eject him out of the dream project.
Chandy’s initiative followed another round of talks Sreedharan had with Transport Minister Aryadan Mohammed here on Tuesday.
“Sreedharan has given an undertaking that once the agreement is inked, Kochi Metro project would be completed in three years’ time. The government is extremely hopeful,” said Chandy after the talks held at the Cliff House.
“It was under Sreedharan’s leadership for the past nine months that all paper works and construction work related to Kochi Metro were taken up. Thay will continue,” Chandy added.
Sreedharan said that the DMRC has already prepared the tender documents and designs for Kochi Metro project. “Engineers have been trained for taking up the works,” he said, even as rumours are rife on many outstanding issues between him and the DMRC, including the non-ratification of his post as principal advisor of the corporation.
Chandy said that he will meet Union Minister Kamal Nath during a trip planned to New Delhi shortly.
“If possible, I shall try to meet Delhi CM Sheila Dixit also. Work on Kochi Metro will commence after getting the approval of DMRC.
The government is keen on the completion of the project in a time-bound manner,” Chandy said.
In his letter to Sheila Dixit, the Chief Minister also asked her to ensure that DMRC itself is in charge of the proposed monorail projects in Thriuvananthapuram and Kozhikode.
