KOCHI: Even as the State Government set apart Rs.4 crore for carrying out the initial works of the Kochi metro rail project in the budget presented on Friday, R. Gopinathan Nair, who had been appointed as Special Officer for the project, has expressed his disinclination to assume the post.

With this, the fate of the project seems uncertain. Mr. Nair wrote to Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan saying that he was unhappy with the new conditions specified by the State Government. This followed the Government passing an order saying that the Special Officer would come under a cell that is under the administrative control of the Principal Secretary (Transport). The net effect would be that the Special Officer's powers would be drastically cut down, affecting the pace and smooth progress of the project.

The project was envisaged to be completed in four years' time, changing the face of the city and its suburbs. Mr. Nair, who retired as Additional General Manager in the Railways, had suggested that the light metro rail proposed between Aluva and Pettah be carried out as a joint venture between the Central and State Governments, with the Centre pooling in 40 per cent funds.

Executing agency

The executing agency was to be an independent one, similar to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). This was to ensure that the project got over on time.

The Chief Minister would be the ex officio chairman, and the Special Officer would be posted as the Managing Director or Chief Executive Officer of the project.

The CEO would have full autonomy in making appointments and awarding contracts, and would be free of external influence and bureaucratic hurdles.

The Board of Directors, which would meet frequently, would have representation from the Centre and State.

In a letter sent to Mr. Nair in December last, the Government had said that the CEO would enjoy full autonomy like in DMRC. He would also be required to help improve the suburban rail network in the State.

The recent development to curtail his powers came as a bolt from the blue for Mr. Nair.

Unhappy at the turn of events, he wrote to the Chief Minister and his Principal Secretary, Sheila Thomas, saying that he was disinclined to take the post since the cell under the Transport Secretary would deprive him of autonomous powers.

He stated that the cell did not suit his style of functioning and plan of action.

Mr. Nair was the Chief Engineer for the gauge conversion of the 200-km Salem-Bangalore railway line, that was completed in record 11 months' time.

He also played a crucial role in laying the Ernakulam-Alappuzha new line and constructing the Aroor bridge which is said to be the first segmental bridge of Indian Railways.

As of now, the fate of the metro rail project is uncertain, since the State Government has not even decided whether it would be carried out with funding from the Centre, or as a BOT scheme.

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