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‘UDF plotting to keep DMRC out of Cochin Metro project’

They conveyed this to Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in New Delhi on Monday. The two said the DMRC was overloaded with projects and if it takes over Cochin Metro it may affect the ongoing projects. However, the Delhi Chief minister has agreed to discuss whether the DMRC can take up the project without affecting the 400km phases two and three of the Delhi Metro.

After his meeting with the two leaders, Chandy told reporters that he was hopeful that the DMRC could take up the Cochin Metro without affecting the Delhi Metro. He said Kamal Nath and Sheila Dixit will discuss this and inform the Kerala government. He said he will also discuss the future course of action with the DMRC adviser E Sreedharan on Wednesday. Chandy said the government wanted the project to be executed by the DMRC under the supervision of Sreedharan.

However, leaders of opposition parties have expressed suspicion over the moves of the state government. Communist Party of India (Marxist) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan accused the United Democratic Front government of fooling the people.

He told reporters at Cochin that the stand adopted by Kamal Nath and Sheila Dixit was part of secret moves to keep both the DMRC and Sreedharan away from the project. He said the move was intended to pave way for corruption.

Vijayan warned strong agitation by the Left Democratic Front if the government tried to get the project executed by private agencies.

Party’s Rajya Sabha member P Rajeev said that the arguments by Kamal Nath and Sheila Dixit were not convincing as the DMRC had taken over the Jaipur Metro without any of these problems. If the reported problems did not affect the takeover of the Jaipur Metro how it can affect the Cochin Metro, he asked.

The MP pointed out that the DMRC had agreed in principle to take over Cochin Metro in 2009 and even opened its office in the city. Rajeev alleged the hands of powerful forces behind the current developments.

Experts say the project will be delayed even if the state forces the DMRC to take up the project without affecting Delhi Metro since they might give priority to the latter and neglect Cochin. Finding a new suitor through a global tender will also take a lot of time. A day’s delay is estimated to cause a loss of Rs4 million to the Kochi Metro Rail Limited.

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