The Hindu : `Metro rail projects planned for 5 cities'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 25, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

`Metro rail projects planned for 5 cities'

By Our Staff Reporter

KOCHI, FEB. 24. The preliminary report for the Kochi metro rail project was lying with the Government, E. Sreedharan, chief of the Delhi metro rail project, has said.

Speaking at a function organised by the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan here yesterday, he said metro rail projects would be implemented in five cities.

The Delhi metro rail project was the biggest urban transport system in the country and it has several unique features, Mr. Sreedharan said. He said the Delhi project could effectively overcome the main drawbacks associated with the Calcutta metro rail project. Two sections of the Delhi project had already been completed and the third section would be ready for opening next month, he said.

The entire project, costing Rs. 10, 571 crores, is scheduled for completion by 2005, three years in advance of the stipulated period. Japanese loan accounts for 64 per cent of the project cost. The project has been exempted from tax.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation had to face several challenges in the course of execution of the project. As many as 45 religious structures existed in its path, out of which 21 were relocated while engineering excellence ensured that the others were left untouched. A pragmatic approach was adopted for acquiring land for the project. All sorts of help were extended to people who had to shift their residences. Mr. Sreedharan said environmental concerns were addressed suitably. Silent generators were used so that residents near the work sites were free from noise pollution.

Contractors execute majority of the work, but there is no open tender system. Contracts are awarded to pre-qualified contractors and lowest rate is not the criterion for selection. Further, the contracts are awarded fast and no interference by middlemen is allowed.

Mr.Sreedharan claimed that the entire management system was operating in a way which gave little scope for bureaucratic or political interferences. While time-bound completion of the project was important, the schedule of trains was also being maintained strictly. If a train of the Delhi metro runs one minute behind schedule, it is considered in the `late running' category. There are no unions for the staff of the company, but grievances and suggestion boxes have been provided, he said.

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