Whereas Rs 14,600-cr Chennai metro rail will follow the Delhi metro model under which Centre and the state will own 50% of the equity each, Kerala government has now changed tracks to say ‘no’ to any private participation for Rs 2991-cr Kochi venture.

Kochi metro rail project, which was originally to be built with private partnership with a concession period of 30 years, may now be a joint venture between Centre and the state.

Policy makers in Delhi are divided whether metro rail in India should be built by private players, as is done in case of Hyderabad and Mumbai. The differences in opinion may cause substantial delay to future metro projects in India.

While Planning Commission has been advocating the public private participation (PPP) as the preferred route to build metros, urban development ministry has been lobbying hard for a standardised metro system around the country, for which the Central government will be a partner.

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