: The completion of the first reach of the Kochi Metro Rail project and the Light Metro project for Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram figured in a meeting between the Principal Adviser, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, E. Sreedharan and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan here on Tuesday. Described as a courtesy call, the one-to-one meeting at the office of the Chief Minister at the Secretariat lasted 30 minutes.
Mr. Sreedhran briefed the Chief Minister about the progress of the ongoing work being supervised by the DMRC for the metro.
First meeting
It is the first meeting Mr. Sreedharan has had with Mr. Vijayan since the latter took over as the Chief Minister.
The preparatory work entrusted to the DMRC by Kerala Rapid Transit Corporation Ltd. (KRTL), the special purpose vehicle set up by the government for execution of the proposed Light Metro in two cities, also figured in the meeting. The DMRC Principal Adviser also called on Minister for Public Works G. Sudhakaran and held discussions with him. The Light Metro project is being executed under the KRTL, which comes under the Public Works Department.
Talking to mediapersons, Mr. Sreedhran said he assured the Chief Minister that the deadline of March 2017 for completing the first reach of the metro would be adhered to.
“The Chief Minister has asked me to give a note on the way forward for Light Metro in the two cities,” Mr. Sreedharan said in response to a query on the fate of the MRTS.
The meeting with Mr. Sreedharan comes close on the heels of the June 6 meeting the Chief Minister had in the capital with Kochi Metro Rail Ltd. officials to review the progress of works.
Joint sitting
It was decided by the Chief Minister to hold a joint meeting of the DMRC and the KMRL in consultation with Mr. Sreedharan and to seek quarterly reports on the progress. But the date of the joint meeting is yet to be decided.
