Not possible to monitor metro rail projects: Govt

New Delhi, Dec 7: The government Wednesday said it is neither "possible nor feasible" for it to monitor the progress of metro rail projects and supervise its construction in the country.

"Neither it is possible nor feasible for the central government to supervise the construction and monitor all metro rail projects, particularly for the non metropolitan cities," Minister of State for Planning Ashwani Kumar said.

The ongoing 11th Five Year Plan (2007-12) had specified an allocation of Rs3,303 crore for metro rail projects across the country.

Kumar said a project report for construction of a 28.95 km Ludhiana Metro Rail with a total cost of Rs8,705 crore has been prepared by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).

"However, no proposal for in-principle approval of the project has been received in the Planning Commission. During discussion of Annual Plan 2011-12 between the Planning Commission and the government of Punjab, the Planning Commission has offered advisory support to take up the project under public-private partnership mode," he said.

The minister said funding for the extension projects of DMRC has been mainly through grants from the central and the Delhi state government.

"So far as Kochi Metro in Kerala is concerned, the Planning Commission has recommended setting up of a special purpose vehicle (SPV) by the state government for implementing the project and the Government of India may provide a viability gap funding (VGF).

In 2009, the Planning Commission had given in-principle approval for the 25.6 kilometre Kochi metro rail project.

PTI