Thiruvananthapuram:
Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has appealed to the Prime Minister to intervene and help resolve the delay in handing over the Kochi Metro Rail project to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). In a letter written to Manmohan Singh and Union Minister for Urban Development minister Kamal Nath, Mr Chandy expressed concern the DMRC's indecision to take up the project worth Rs. 5,181 crore.
Mr Chandy said that the unwanted delay was adding to the pressure on the state government and increasing the project cost. He said, "Even before the Centre decided to join the venture, the state government had decided to hand over the Kochi Metro work to DMRC." Mr Chandy said the state government was confident of DMRC and the proven track record of its chief adviser E Sreedharan.
The delay, despite the strong support from five state representatives in the Kochi Rail Metro Corporation, has been a cause of growing concern. The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) norms are against awarding the contract for a project to an agency which did the consultancy for the project.
However, Mr Chandy has assured that the two boards will be able to sort out these issues. On Wednesday he held discussions with Mr Sreedharan and resolved to press Delhi Metro to take up the project. After their meeting, both Mr Chandy and Mr Sreedharan had said they were confident that the work would be executed by DMRC in three years.
Mr Chandy said that the unwanted delay was adding to the pressure on the state government and increasing the project cost. He said, "Even before the Centre decided to join the venture, the state government had decided to hand over the Kochi Metro work to DMRC." Mr Chandy said the state government was confident of DMRC and the proven track record of its chief adviser E Sreedharan.
The delay, despite the strong support from five state representatives in the Kochi Rail Metro Corporation, has been a cause of growing concern. The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) norms are against awarding the contract for a project to an agency which did the consultancy for the project.
However, Mr Chandy has assured that the two boards will be able to sort out these issues. On Wednesday he held discussions with Mr Sreedharan and resolved to press Delhi Metro to take up the project. After their meeting, both Mr Chandy and Mr Sreedharan had said they were confident that the work would be executed by DMRC in three years.
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