Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a function here, Ravi said the Chief Minister has to take a final decision on whom the project, the foundation stone of which was laid by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last month, has to be entrusted.
The agency which implement the project on a fast pace and keeping public interest in mind should be entrusted with the project, he said.
The remarks assumes significance in the light of allegations that attempts were being made to keep the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation out of the Kochi Metro Rail project.
State Power and Transport Minister Aryadan Mohammed had recently cited the need to abide by Central government norms for the project.
It has also been pointed that the Central Vigilance Commission norms are against the awarding of the contract for a project to an agency which did the consultancy for the project.
The next meeting of the director board of the Kochi Metro Rail is slated to be held here on October 19.
Opposition leader in the Kerala assembly V S Achutanandan also had criticised the government for the delay in kickstarting the project.
The cost of the project will go up by Rs 40 lakh per day due to the delays, Metroman E Sreedharan, had said recently.
Asked about Kerala's government proposed low cost airlines 'Air Kerala' project, Ravi said 'we want it at the earliest. But the Centre has insisted that the airline should have few years of experience in the domestic sector. Efforts are on to obtain an exemption to the rule, he said.
