THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An interim service consultancy agreement has been signed between the Kerala Rapid Transit Corporation and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation on setting the groundwork for the Light Metro projects in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode.
As per the agreement, the state government will have to provide the basic infrastructure like land acquisition within nine months.
“We would be taking about five years for the works on Light Metro in Thiruvananthapuram and four years for Kozhikode Light Metro, once the government provides the basic infrastructure,” said Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) principal advisor Mr. E Sreedharan.
The agreement was signed here on Wednesday between DMRC director business development S D Sharma and Kerala Rapid Transit Corporation managing director Mr. Sheik Pareed in the presence of chief minister Oommen Chandy, Mr. Sreedharan and other ministers and officials.
As per the agreement, DMRC will have to prepare a land acquisition survey and land plans, finalise estimates for proposed flyovers, identify major utlitises and prepare utility shifting plans and road widening plans for the light metro projects.
“Land acquisition would be a major challenge. In Thiruvananth-apuram there will be four flyovers, whereas only one is required in Kozhikode,” said Mr. Sreedharan. In Thiruvananthapuram, flyovers are required at Sreekariyam, Ulloor, Pattom and Thampanoor.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy expressed hopes that DMRC would be able to complete Thiruvanant-hapuram and Kozhikode light metro projects also on a time-bound basis.
“We are confident of the capability of DMRC with Sreedaran directly involved in the projects. The state government will expedite the steps to be taken from its side for the project," he said.
