Kochi Metro and govt dynamics

For almost five years, the proposal for a Metro train project in Kochi has been hanging in the balance, with the Centre having serious differences with the state government over the viability issue and the business model. While the state government, led by CPI(M), has already started some token preliminary work to show its voters it wants the Kochi Metro to come up, the finance ministry and the Planning Commission have been raising objections. Top sources in the urban development ministry told Business Standard that the project had been shelved for the next year. As Kerala is headed for its assembly election next year, and there is a strong possibility of a change of the government, the Centre would go slow on the issue. Only after the new government comes, the Centre would take up the Kochi Metro project for a review and planning.