DMRC decision on Kochi Metro on November 27: CM

Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said Board of Directors meeting of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) in Delhi next week will decide on its role in execution of the Rs 5,180 crore Kochi Metro.

Kannur: Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Saturday said the Board of Directors meeting of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) in Delhi next week will decide on its role in execution of the Rs 5,180 crore Kochi Metro.

Speaking to mediapersons here, Chandy said controversies relating to the much-awaited Kochi Metro was the creation of media and at any time the government had not thought of keeping out DMRC from execution of the project. He said the plan for the Kochi metro project was first mooted during the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) rule in 2005. Since then DMRC Principal Advisor E Sreedharan had been a part of the project, he said. Sreedharan had been functioning as part of the Kerala Government during the last seven years, he said. The project will be completed as proposed and there was no cause for any anxiety, he said apparently referring to opposition charge that the UDF Government was trying to keep DMRC and Sreedharan off the project with ulterior motives. Besides, Union Urban Ministry had taken a stand that DMRC could not take the project because the Corporation was tight with the work of Delhi Metro maintenance and other projects. Chandy said a meeting to be attended by Defence Minister A K Antony, Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi, Union minister for food K V Thomas and Kerala transport Minister Aryadan Mohanned and himself will be held in Delhi to discuss the issue. PTI