Kerala asked to invite 'tech neutral' EoIs for Metro

Kochi, Apr 14: The Centre has advised the Kerala Government to invite 'technology-neutral' Expressions of Interest (EoI) for the proposed Kochi mass rapid transit system (MRTS), Union Urban Development Secretary M Ramachandran said today.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr Ramachandran said the Centre had advised the Kerala Government not to go in for technology intensive options such as elevated or underground metro rails which would be capital intensive.

However, the state government was yet to respond to this suggestion, he added.

While declining to comment on whether the Rs 2,000 crore project proposal drawn up by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) for the Kochi Metro was financially unviable, Mr Ramachandran said the DMRC proposal was a starting point.

The DMRC proposal, submitted in 2005, envisages an over 20 km metro rail project for Kochi, large portions of which would be elevated.

It would be better for the state government to invite EoI and see how the private players are interested in investing in the project, Mr Ramachandran added.

He said a 20 per cent grant was available from the Centre for MRTS projects deemed financially viable.

Stressing the need for Kerala and other states to look at good public transport systems, he said this was essential to relieve the mounting pressure on roads by an increasing number of private vehicles.

UNI