Metro on track: Malaysian consortium offers to build Metro

Metro on track: Malaysian consortium offers to build Metro
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: Even as the dust kicked up by the Metro-Mono controversy is yet to settle down, a Malaysian consortium has entered the scene with an offer to build the Metro rail with least financial contribution from the Governments.

Kencana Kasifa Transit System (KKTS), a Malaysian semi-government consortium had approached the Government to take up the Bangalore project and it only expects the Government to give lands and just 10 per cent of the project cost.

KKTS Managing Director Sayed Saahil Saif and other members of the consortium have recently made a presentation to the Chief Minister Dharam Singh and senior Government officers. The KKTS is now preparing detailed projects for proposed metro projects in Hyderabad and Chennai.

“We are willing to take up the project on the BOOT (Build, Own, Operate and Transfer) basis as have adequate expertise in these kind of infrastructure projects,'' Sayed Saahil Saif told this website’s newspaper.

The KKTS chief said if the Government accepts their proposal they would first like study the alignment prepared by the Bangalore Mass Rapid Transit Limited (BMRTL) and changes will be made only if they are needed. “We will accept their alignment and if need be suggest alternative alignments,'' he said.

The KKTS, however, is not interested in taking part in the global tenders floated by the BMRTL to execute the project. “We are not contractors. We have the expertise and want to completely build the project with least burden on the Governments,'' he added.

The consortium representatives in the city said though KKTS will build the project the BMRTL can continue to be a governing agency, which will have the say in all important decision, including deciding fares. “Fares will be comparable to that of Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC). Monthly passes will be given for Rs 300 to Rs 500,''said KKTS representative Shilpa Jatti.

While, a city-based firm NEB Infrastructure headed by S Nagaraj is also part of the consortium, some other partners in the consortium were also part of the Delhi Metro Rail Project.

Experts say the Government should give a serious consideration to the proposal as KKTS wants to implement BMRTL plans at its own cost. Metrail Corporation, promoters of the Monorail have also approached the Government to build Monorail without any contribution from State.

However, the major difference between the two is that KKTS wants to implement Metro, the heavy rail with more passenger carrying capacity and the Metrail is talking about Monorail, the light rail with less passenger carrying capacity.