Time to step on the accelerator

Sep 13, 2012 |

Kochi

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Kochi Metro

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will lay the foundation stone for the Kochi Metro project on Thursday. But if the project is to be a success in addressing the city's transport problems, the state authorities will have to take a few concrete measures soon.

Two crucial decisions, which the first directors' board meeting of the reconstituted KMRL failed to take, have to be made. One is signing the pact with DMRC to commence the main work and hastening the land acquisition process to meet the December deadline.

Another decision is to consider the investment proposals for the Metro project in the Emerging Kerala meet. There is a good response for the Metro project with giants such as Toshiba (Japan) and Bombardier (Canada) already writing to authorities evincing interest in the project, sources said.

“It’s best to avail the foreign technology and develop rolling stocks ourselves in the upcoming Kanjikode coach factory or in Bengaluru,” said C. Raju, former general manager, Urban Transport, RITES.

Experts have suggested an inter-modular transport system to fully drive home the benefits of the Metro.
“It shouldn't be limited to urban people and should be a regional plan. A suburban railway system and inland navigation connection is a must to reach the network to interior areas and nearby satellite cities like Thrissur and Cherthala,” he said.

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