Thiruvananthapuram: Decision of Metro Man E Sreedharan and the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to back out of this Light Metro Rail projects in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode has greatly disrupted the work progress. Now the Kerala government need to scout for a new consultant.
There were three proposed flyovers in the Kerala capital to support the Light Metro Rail and the designs prescribed by the DMRC team.
A senior official of the KRTC (Kerala Rapid Transport Corporation) told FE that the “Tender procedures to identify the new consultant are under way.” The state government last week assigned the KRTC with the task of finding an appropriate consultant to replace the DMRC.
The total project length is 35.12 km in two cities. Of the three flyovers for the Thiruvananthapuram Light Metro, the socioeconomic impact study for this project has been already completed and land acquisition has to begin. The similar survey for the second flyover is on process and the third is yet to proceed beyond the design board.
Without the DMRC partnership there is lot of distortion in getting the project forward. According to a letter that Sreedharan wrote to K Kamalavardhana Rao state principal secretary (public works), “The exit was caused by the state government’s reluctance to ink the turnkey consultancy contract for preparatory works of the transit system even 14 months after the DMRC had undertaken the consultancy.”
“He was unable to give an appointment to Sreedharan at the right time because of heavy workload,” admitted Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. And insisted that there was no rift with the 88-year- old technocrat.
Total cost of Project: Rs 7,446 crore
As per the revised Detailed Project Report (DPR), the total project cost for the two light metro projects will approximately Rs 7,446 crore. Which will exclude the funds needed for land acquisition, state taxes and money for works related to PPP, Rs 6,307 crore will be needed. The total cost project out of 20 per cent each will be shared by the state and Central Governments. The remaining cost 60 per cent will be via loan. Rs 392 crore needed for land acquisition and state taxes to the tune of Rs 534 crore will be met by the state. Out of total cost the state will have to pool in Rs 2,187 crore.
