Light metro projects revived
The government has decided not to appoint the turnkey consultant without ensuring central funds for the project

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The light metro projects proposed for Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram are back on track after Chief Minister Oommen Chandy's meeting with Union Minister for Urban Development Venkaiah Naidu in New Delhi.
The state is planning to execute the projects with a viability gap funding from the centre. Earlier, it had shot down the detailed project report submitted by the state and subsequently a revised DPR was submitted.
The centre has asked the government to submit the Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) immediately to take the project to the next level. Both the light metro projects are estimated to cost around Rs 6728 crore when completed.
The Chief Minister has promised to submit the CMP plans within a week. National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (NATPAC) director B.G. Sreedevi said that they had submitted the comprehensive mobility plan to the government on Monday.
"Three stakeholders' meetings were held in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode to finalise the mobility plans," said Ms Sreedevi.
The state is yet to take a decision on the role of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) in the execution of the projects.
The government has decided not to appoint the turnkey consultant without ensuring central funds for the project.
The government has also put on hold the proposal of the DMRC expressing interest for being the interim consultant.
A top official said that a decision would be taken soon. "The meeting with the Union Minister was crucial and now that is over. But the centre hasn't promised anything yet," said the official.