Kerala to utilise services of 'Metro Man' Sreedharan

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After roping in eminent technocrat Sam Pitroda as Kerala's 'development mentor', the Congress-led UDF government now plans to utilise the services of E Sreedharan for the ambitious Kochi Metro Rail Project.

Sreedharan, already a member of the state Planning Board, is expected to play a crucial role in the project, for which he already had been an advisor. 'Metro Man' Sreedharan's term as MD of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation is to end next month.

Disclosing this at a meet-the-press here, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said his government was very keen on making use of the support and services of experts from diverse fields to achieve its goal of fast track growth of the state.

After he came to power in May this year, government had appointed former cabinet secretary K M Chandrasekhar as vice-chairman of the state Planning Board and former CII general secretary Tarun Das as its member.

More recently, Pitroda had agreed to advise the government on technical aspects without charging any remuneration. "It has been our policy to utilise the services and goodwill of experts willing to help us," Chandy said.

On resentment by certain Left quarters on making Tarun Das the state planning board member, Chandy said, "You cannot forget that he had served on the West Bengal plan board when the state was ruled by the CPI(M)-led coalition."

Chandy, who announced a one year action plan yesterday, said apprehensions by certain quarters that government planned to open up public utility services like drinking water supply was unfounded. "We only want to make delivery of basic services more effective and prompt," he said.

He said UDF was totally confident of winning the Assembly by-poll in Piravom Assembly segment, caused by the death of Kerala Congress leader T M Jacob.

Asked if it would be a referendum of his government's performance, he said "every bypoll is an evaluation of the government's performance and that of the Opposition as well."