Even as the Cabinet is yet to give its nod for the Rs.6,728-crore elevated Light Metro proposed for the cities of Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode, the board of directors of Kerala Monorail Corporation Ltd (KMCL) is meeting here on Wednesday sans DMRC Principal Adviser E. Sreedharan.
Mr. Sreedharan, who is in Ponnani, will not be attending the 13th board meeting of KMCL to be held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in his chamber at the Secretariat. DMRC sources told The Hindu that Mr. Sreedharan has not attending the meeting since, as per the agenda, the board may not be taking major decisions at the meet.
The DMRC is keenly following the file created by the administrative department-PWD-for giving approval for the DPR prepared for the MRTS project and the reported objections raised by the Chief Secretary and the Additional Chief Secretary (Finance). Mr. Sreedharan’s absence is no way connected with the delay in giving the approval to the DPR submitted in October last for the turnkey project.
The DMRC has expressed its concern over the delay in getting the nod as Mr. Sreedharan himself had taken the initiative for securing Special Terms for Economic Partnership (STEP) loans from Japan.
Change of name
The laxity on the part of the officials in getting the name of the KMCL changed to Kerala Rapid Transit Corporation Ltd (KRTL) with the switchover from monorail has also upset the DMRC. The delay was over the error in the audited figures presented at the AGM and the subsequent delay for the C&AG audit.
The Chief Minister has already stated that the government is positive on the MRTS project and the Cabinet will take a decision after the June 27 Aruvikkara by-election as the Light Metro is a new project.
The position of accounts of the company as on March 31 and the change of the name of the SPV to KRTL will figure in the board meeting along with the urgent intervention for the board for granting administrative sanction for the Light Metro in the two cities.
The takeover of the land belonging to De Mendez company near the CRPF Camp at Pallipuram for setting up the depot of the Light Metro has been listed. The board will have to give its consent for the takeover.
Posting of the Finance Manager, extension of services of the Chief General Manager (Constructions), Project Manager and other personnel taken on contract by KMCL will come up in the meeting.
