Metro handover not too soon
Tags:
The crucial meeting of the reconstituted board of Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) on Tuesday is unlikely to discuss the draft agreement for officially handing over the `5182 metro project to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).
The main agenda of the meet, to be presided over by urban development secretary, Sudhir Krishna, includes taking stock of the progress of the project work and ratification of the appointment of Elias George as the managing director of the board, according to sources.
“Though the draft MoU is almost finalised, it is not included in the agenda and so it is unlikely to be taken up for approval,” KMRL sources said.
After the meeting, board members are scheduled to visit the sites, including major stations and the metro yard.
They are also expected to brief the press.E. Sreedharan, principal adviser for the project, had cautioned against further delay in implementation of the project, saying that each day of delay will increase the cost by Rs 40 lakh, which may end up making the project unviable.
Not including the MoU ratification in the agenda will lead to just such a delay. DMRC has completed all the procedures for awarding tenders for the main work and also for construction of the Muttom yard.
“We cannot actually award the tenders without getting the board’s sanction. We have been holding back the tender process for more than two months. Once we get the nod, we will award the tender for the main work within a week,” a DMRC official said.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will lay the foundation stone for the ambitious project, scheduled to be completed in four years, at Marine Drive here on September 13.
Post new comment