Light Metro will chug off without DMRC, says government

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has told the Assembly that the government will go ahead with the proposed light metro project here and in Kozhikode even without Delhi Metro Rail Corporation. He also said that considering the losses in the Kochi metro, it would also have to review its financial aspects. Replying to a submission by Congress MLA V. S. Sivakumar on Thursday, he said that DMRC pulled out of the project as the term of their agreement with the state expired.  He added that unlike the implementation of Kochi Metro, the state now had experience in implementing metro projects.

“The exit of DMRC would not affect the project in any way," he said.  "But the financial aspects are being reviewed by a committee headed by finance  secretary.” He also said that though the government had already given administrative sanction for  Rs 272 crore for three flyovers in the capital (Sreekaryam, Ulloor  and Pattom) as part of  the project, it would examine whether  they would affect the project as the centre  was yet to give the final clearance. The project report  was already submitted, and the Centre needs  to clarify its stand,  he said.