Praful Patel backs Sreedharan to head Kochi metro project

He noted that Mr. Sreedharan had done a great job at Delhi Metro and Konkan Rail projects. So, Mr. Sreedharan himself should lead the execution of the Kochi Metro project too

Union Minister for Heavy Industries Praful Patel has thrown his weight behind Kerala’s desire to get the Kochi Metro project implemented by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) with E. Sreedharan at the helm.

“We will make sure that the Kochi Metro work is given to DMRC,” Mr. Patel asserted at a convention of the Nationalist Congress Party here on Sunday. The work would be carried out ‘under the leadership of Mr. Sreedharan,’ he said.

He noted that Mr. Sreedharan had done a great job at Delhi Metro and Konkan Rail projects. So, Mr. Sreedharan himself should lead the execution of the Kochi Metro project too.

He also said that his party’s president and Union Agriculture Minister, Sharad Pawar, also supported the idea of the DMRC executing the Kochi Metro project.

Mr. Patel offered his ministry’s total support for the revival of the Central public-sector industries in Kerala such as Hindustan Newsprint Limited, Punalur; HMT, Kalamassery; and Instrumentation Limited, Kanjikkode.

His ministry was also working on revising the pay scales of employees of the loss-making PSUs in the State and also on raising the retirement age from 58 to 60.