Kerala - Kochi   

Minister: DMRC decision on realignment soon

KOCHI: The future of the proposed Kochi metro rail project hangs in the balance as no meaningful work was done on Tuesday, a day after the District Collector suspended survey and demarcation works of the project in the face of protests from a section of traders on M.G. Road.

District Collector A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish saidthe government would have to reach a decision on the issue without delay. The traders, under the banner of Cochin Metro Action Council, are demanding realignment of the project through Shanmugham Road instead of M.G. Road as per the original plan. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) turned down this demand last week on grounds of technical and financial feasibility.

Meanwhile, the State government finds itself in a tight spot, as there is a real danger of the State losing the project if it pressed the DMRC beyond a limit to change the alignment.

Talking to The Hindu, Minister for Law M. Vijayakumar, who is also in charge of railways, said the government had no choice but to accept the decision of the DMRC. “Or else, we would lose the project,” he said.

Mr. Vijayakumar, however, said that he had discussed the matter with DMRC chairman E. Sreedharan following the suspension of demarcation works and had requested him to look into the possibility of a change in alignment.

“The DMRC had agreed to examine the possibility of a change in alignment without any delay,” he said.

Asked whether any time-limit had been fixed for the review, he said that it would be made at the earliest as the DMRC only need to go through the survey reports and other documents that were already at its disposal.

Mr. Vijayakumar reiterated his position that traders should have raised the demand long back and not at this advanced stage.

At the same time, insiders said that there was no possibility of the DMRC reviewing the alignment. Besides, it would be a departure from the working style of the agency, which is known for its meticulous planning and systematic implementation of projects in a time-bound manner.

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