'Komet' takes wings....finally!

The work on the Kochi metro commenced this morning at 1030h when the Chief Minister waved the green flag that started the piling work at the Changampuzha park, near Edapalli. This has taken place eight years after its conception and acceptance in principle, to ease the traffic nightmare that had become a daily affair much to the agony of the people of Kochi.

What went on over the last eight years was a saga of political games and vested interests playing behind the scenes. But one factor remained conspicuously clear and constant - the 'metroman', E Sreedharan had to steer the project, a desire that was overwhelmingly prevalent among every Malayalee, irrespective of political ideology or regional affiliation! And despite such overwhelming sentiments being prevalent, there was a time when it had almost come to a situation that the metroman would not be connected with the project! It was evidently some vested interests at work which feared Sreedharan as a stumbling block to their hidden agenda!

Probably, being a layman, I don't understand the mechanics of the huge number of agencies that had played a part in this project and I shall list them:-

      (a) the ministry of urban development of the union cabinet
      (b) the ministry of environment
      (c) the government of Delhi
      (d) the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation
      (e) the government of Kerala
      (f) the corporation of Kochi and
      (f)  the Kochi Metro Rail Corporation that was formed to undertake the project with E Sreedharan as
           the chief consultant!

The co-ordination between these agencies took an inordinately long time with unwanted controversies.
   
It's just the beginning and there's the bugbear in the name of land acquisition that's still hanging fire. Though the target date of completion is 1,095 days, the sceptic in me refuses to take this timeline as gospel. The coming days, weeks and months will show whether we 'mallus' have it in us to achieve targets while keeping our differences at bay, in the largest interest of the people!


Tailpiece.

It's my fervent hope that the 'Komet' takes off on the planned date! And hopefully, the problem of traffic woes in the city would be reduced considerably!!