Kerala to go ahead with Metro Rail Project

Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 16 (UNI) The Kerala Government would go ahead with the proposed Kochi Metro Rail Project (KMRP), despite a demand for change in the original project, said State Law and Sports Minister M Vijayakumar.

Talking to reporters here today, Mr Vijayakumar, who is also in charge of Railways, said the government had asked the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), the implementing agency of the project, to review the project in the wake of the demand from a section of shop owners in the area for a change in the alignment.

However, the DMRC had dismissed the demand on technical and financial grounds, he said and added that it had no other option and would go ahead with the original proposal.

The shop owners wanted the project to be realigned through Shanmugham Road rather than the M G Road since it would affect their business establishments there.

Mr Vijayakumar said the government would convene a meeting of the shop owners, Kochi Metro Rail Action Council and people's representatives to find a solution in this regard.

Expressing hope that the final clearance from the Central Ministry would be received soon as the file was in front of the Planning Commission, he said the government would implement the project without any delay.

Though the total cost of the project was estimated at Rs 2,000 crore when the feasibility study was conducted two years ago, in the revised estimate it stood at over Rs 3,034 crore, he added.

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