With just 14 days to go for the inauguration of Kerala’s milestone project, Kochi Metro Rail, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan traveled in it from Palarivatom to Aluva on Saturday. The CM’s ride in the metro was to evaluate the arrangements and the facilities in Kerala’s first metro train. CPI (M) Ernakulam district secretary P Rajeev, along with other political leaders in the district accompanied the CM in the ride.
Meanwhile, the inauguration of the Kochi metro solar power plant at the Aluva Station which was scheduled to be done by Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday at 11am has been cancelled.
According to reports in Malayalam television channels, the cancellation of the inauguration was at the eleventh hour and no satisfactory explanation has been given by the officials of the Kochi Metro Rail Corporation for this.
The inauguration of the solar power plant created sparked a controversy after Anwar Sadath, Congress legislator of Aluva, alleged that he was not invited for the function. However, the CM choose not to talk to the media after competing his ride at the Aluva station.
KMRL Managing Director Alias George told media that there was no formal function planned for the inauguration. “There were no speeches or anything formal was planned, but just the switching on of a button. There is no need for a controversy,” he said.
The inauguration of Kochi Metro is scheduled to be held on June 17.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate Kerala’s prestigious project. The 13 kilometer stretch of the Kochi metro rail from Aluva to Palarivattom has been cleared for commissioning in the first phase.
Built along a 25km stretch with 22 stations, the Kochi metro rail project has been commissioned at a cost of Rs 5181 crore.
On May 8, Kochi metro got the clearance certificate from the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety, four years after the construction began.