KOCHI: District collector M. G. Rajamanickam on Saturday stirred an unsavoury controversy boycotting the Kochi Metro Rail test run by creating an impression that he was not invited to the function because his name was not included in the programme schedule and hence he did not attend the function.
However, Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) officials who organised the programme said they had extended an invitation to him and his name was not included in the schedule as the design of the programme card warranted limiting names.
“The district collector is a member of the KMRL director board. So he is a host of the function and per se there is no need to invite him. Still we invited the district collector and reserved a chair for him on the dais with his name printed on it. There were a whole lot of important personalities there including foreign representatives and not all could be accommodated in the programme schedule and also on the dais,” said a senior KMRL official.
He also pointed out that it was a state-level function organised on behalf of the state government and it only behoved the district collector to be present.
“The CM was there. Four ministers and seven MLAs were in attendance. So the collector is duty-bound to attend such an important state government function,” said another official.
