Even after poll, Kochi Metro project may fail to roll out

NEW DELHI: Making the Kochi Metro rail project a reality is the one common promise made by all political formations in Kerala - be it the Congress-led UDF, the CPM-centric LDF and even the BJP. But the alliance that gets the people's mandate in the state polls on Wednesday would find the Metro project promise a tough one to keep.

The urban development ministry at the Centre has written to the Kerala government asking it to justify the need for a Metro rail project in Kochi.

"As per the Centre's policy for metro rail projects, attention has to be focused on cities with population of 3 million and more," a senior government official told ET. "But Census 2011 pegs Kochi's population at somewhere between 1.3 million and 1.4 million, he said.

The ministry has cited the Census data in a missive to the state administration and asked it to justify Kochi's demand for a metro rail project. "It is not that exceptions can't be made. But they have to be backed up with some logic," the official said. For instance, the Delhi metro rail network was extended to Gurgaon, though Gurgaon does not have a 3 million-plus population. But Gurgaon's proximity to the national capital and the heavy commuter traffic between Delhi and Gurgaon helped its case.

First floated in Congress-led UDF's previous reign in Kerala under former chief minister Oommen Chandy, the Kochi Metro project has been a matter of Centre-state suspense during the VS Achutanandan government's tenure from 2006 till date. "There have not been any favourable steps from the Centre," Achutanandan said in a recent interview about why the Kochi Metro project was going nowhere.

CPM general secretary Prakash Karat recently slammed defence minister A K Antony for a statement that the UPA government has offered maximum help to the LDF government.

"In that case why is the Kochi metro rail project languishing without permission from the central government, despite the state government setting aside Rs 150 crore for preparatory work on this project," Karat had countered.

According to the 2011 census data, Ernakulam district, which includes Kochi city, has a population of over 3.2 million. The rate of population growth in the city has virtually halved from 9.35% in the decade between 1991 and 2001, to about 5.6% from 2001 to 2011. The BJP, hoping to open its account in Kerala in this assembly election, has not only promised vigorous pursuit of the Kochi metro project but also promised a rail link to the Sabarimala temple.