Kochi:
Expressing satisfaction over the progress of Kochi Metro Rail project, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy today said it would be completed as per schedule.
Speaking after inspecting the project site work at Cusatand holding a review Meeting at KMRL, he said the project would be completed in 2016 as planned.
The review meeting decided to expedite the pending land acquisition and resolve certain key issues, for ensuring timely completion of the Kochi Metro Rail. He also visited the alignment and unveiled the miniature of station design for the metro project.
Power and Railways Minister, Aryadan Mohammed, Revenue Minister, Adoor Prakash, Fisheries and Ports Minister, K Babu, P Rajeev, MP,local MLAs, Tony Chammany, Kochi Mayor, E Sreedharan, Principal Adviser, DMRC, Elias George Managing Director, KMRL, were among those who attended the meeting.
The Chief Minister expressed complete satisfaction about the progress of the project. The extension plans were also discussed and Mr Chandy assured that the cabinet would consider the Kakkanad extension proposal very soon.
In respect of the new Land Acquisition Rules, it was noted that the draft Rules had now been broadly finalised, and that they were expected to be issued shortly after the Public Notice of one month period.
On the pending Land Acquisition issues, it was decided that one more opportunity would be given to settle the matter with the land-owners, failing which, the District Administration would resort to statutory measures for taking over the land, a Kochi Metro release said.
Regarding, Ernakulam South Railway Station, since the payment of Rs 24 crores has been handed over to Railways and the matter was at a final stage in the office of the General Manager, Southern Railways, the final permission was expected to be received very shortly, a Kochi metro press release said.
For construction of Railway overbridge at Pachalam, the land acquisition requirement till March 2015 was Rs 10 crore while the execution requirement was Rs 19 crore. It was also decided that the people who were giving their property would be entitled to appropriate compensation as delineated in this Act.