The CPI(M)-led LDF government has pulled up its socks to get work on the Kochi Metro rail cracking, underscoring the target of having the $770-million Phase I of the project commissioned on March 2017. For this, a meeting of the consultancy DMRC (Delhi Metro Rail Corporation) and Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL), the nodal agency for Kochi Metro Rail, would be convened soon.
“Quarterly targets will be set for timely completion of the project,” said Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
The chief minister himself will keep track of the targets achieved at each meeting. The meeting of KMRL and DMRC will be convened at a date which is convenient for DMRC chief E Sreedharan, the CM said in a meeting on Monday to evaluate the progress of the project.
At the same time, KMRL sources told FE that the agency is braving acute labour shortage and adverse weather to operate trains in the 12-km Aluva-Palarivattom corridor by November 1, 2016. More than 10 girders will be launched within a month.
However, the project cannot be speeded up beyond a certain point, said a senior official of KMRL. Exclusive test runs are necessary since Kochi Metro is the second in the country to operate trains using the CBTC (Communication Based Train Control) system.
Further, French firm Alstom that claimed the bid to deploy signals and telecommunication equipment has requested for a period of four months to do the test runs alone. This, again, would be subject to green light from the commissioner for railway safety.