MRTS: lack of vision costing Kerala dear

Lack of vision, know-how, and adequate bureaucratic support is costing the State dear in taking up projects to solve the transportation problems in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode.

A far-sighted approach by involving a team of experts and proper homework could have avoided the ignominy the State is facing while scrapping the elevated mass rapid transit system (MRTS) and going for the light rail transit system (LRTS) in its place. The project originally under the Transport Department is now under the Public Works Department.

Official sources told

The Hindu that the government was not happy with the volte-face of Principal Adviser to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation E. Sreedharan and his advice to go for LRTS. Transport planners are sceptical whether the project will take off at all. Eyebrows have been raised over the haste in which DMRC is going ahead and fine tuning the detailed project report (DPR). DMRC’s views that Kozhikode will not fall under the 10-lakh urban population and that getting funds from the Centre is bleak have raised suspicion.

Mr. Sreedharan had convinced the government that monorail was the best option to solve the transportation problems. The consortium led by Bombardier Transportation Holdings USA Inc had quoted a prohibitive cost. Mr. Sreedharan changed his stance before the project was scrapped and is backing LRTS describing it as “cheaper and reliable alternative mode.”

“The government had no other alternative but to go by the advice of Mr. Sreedharan. There is no dissent at the board meetings of Kerala Monorail Corporation Limited. In Kochi Metro, the DMRC is depended on as Kochi Metro Rail Ltd. does not have expertise,” sources said.

Transport planners say the argument that LRTS is cheaper is not true as it will need Rs.180 crore for laying one-km compared to the Rs.162 crore estimated for monorail by DMRC.