Track trouble for Metrail

Track trouble for Metrail

Author: Chetan.R Date: 09 Jun 2008

The Swiss-based firm awaits nod from new government; sources reveal that the Yeddy-Deve Gowda battle may hurt the company’s prospects in getting the project

Metrail Private Limited, a forerunner in the monorail race, has been left in the lurch. Metrail, said to be JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda's choice for the project, may be shown the door, as the new CM B S Yeddyurappa is likely to choose a different company.

“We are keen on being a part of the project. With our expertise in the field, we had put forth a proposal and are awaiting approval,” said Nagendra, CEO, Metrail Pvt. Ltd.

Metrail, a Switzerland-based company, is in race along with AIC (Asian Infrastructure Consortium).

Gowda’s choice

But the chances of Metrail losing the race for a stake in the proposed monorail project is high this time.
The reason is that Deve Gowda, who had supported the project, will have no say in the matter now that the new government has taken over.

“Our chances of getting the project, are quite low. But we will compete. We are looking ahead to the new government’s decision,” said a source from Metrail.

Second choice

“The project may be undertaken under the PPP (public private partnership) model. It is left to the CM to decide,” said a top official in the government.

Metro vs mono

To ease traffic congestion in Bangalore, the systems opted for were the metro and monorail systems.
With much debate over the systems, former Prime minister Deve Gowda pressed for the monorail system. But metrail was selected.

Later it was planned to implement both. Metro was to run diagonally in the city and monorail was to act as feeder system to it.