"What was valid in 1995, may not be valid now and the Bard has resolved to ask the state government to take a fresh look," Kochi Metro Chairman Dr Sudhir Krishna told reporters after the Board meeting here.
"We have advised the state government to carefully re-visit the coverage of Metro in terms of Metropolitan area. Metros are not merely a transport project. They are game-changers for development. It is not for city development only. We do not want to focus on city alone," he said.
The foundation stone of the Kochi Metro project will be laid by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here on September 13.
"Metro technology is fast emerging and we want to use the best technology for Kochi Metro," Krishna said. A sub- committee had been constituted to decide on technology changes to be carried out, he said, adding that it would submit its report in one-month time.
Another sub-committee has also been constituted to work on delegation of power of Managing Director Elias George.
Pointing that Kochi Metro was a unique project in the country different from other metros as inland waterways would be integrated as multi-model project, he said Metro's influence should be seen as regional development.
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Kerala Chief Secretary K Jayakumar said the government proposed to undertake the project in line with latest technological compliance, including new coaches which can be monitored. The government would go for the latest technology, he said.
The Board would meet again in October, he said.