Kochi: With the Center formulating a new Metro Rail policy for future projects, it is feared that the move would have an adverse impact on the proposed metro projects in Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram as well as Kochi Metro's second phase of development.
Laying emphasis on Public Private Partnerships (PPP) to implement metro rail projects, the Center has made it clear that it has no intentions to pour more money into urban rail systems.
So far, the central government has received proposals from 35 cities across the country for the construction of a metro rail system.
The directives to the states to attract private investors have been spelt out clearly in the draft policy itself. It is expected that the new Metro Rail policy, which will form a mandatory requirement for all new metro projects in the country, will be implemented in a month's time.
As per the draft, cities with less than one million population do not require high-capacity and high-speed metro rail systems. Good feeder bus network, bicycle lanes and pedestrian paths should be developed along with metro rail projects, it said.
Taking into account the huge financial burden involved in executing a metro rail project, it should be considered as the last option to improve the urban transportation system.
The directive to encourage private investments in new metro projects will be a huge blow to Kerala which has been vehemently opposing the PPP mode.
The Center and the state government have shared 20 percent each of the total cost of the Kochi Metro project, while the rest of the amount was contributed by foreign agencies. The estimated project cost of the second phase is Rs 2,577 crore. The state has apprehensions over the Center's move to bring in a new metro policy when the proposal is currently under its consideration.
The state is yet to submit the proposals for metro rail projects in Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram for the central government's approval. If the Center compels the state to take the PPP route, it will leave both these projects in a quandary.
Moreover, since both these cities do not have the required population as specified in the proposed Metro Rail Policy, the fate of these projects seems uncertain.