CHENNAI: Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has developed cheaper light metro

rail system for tier ll cities. The metro system will cost 70% less than the ones being
built at cities across the country.
Union minister of urban development Venkaiah Naidu said that DMRC had submitted
a report for light metro projects for tier ll cities. "We will study it and will decide on
implementing it. There is a lot of demand for metro rail from tier ll cities because of
traffic congestion and concern about pollution. High cost is a problem. A kilometre
of underground costs Rs 400 crore and elevated line costs Rs 200 crore."
DMRC managing director Mangu Singh said, "The light metro proposal will be ideal
for small cities like Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode which are interested to have
metro projects. We are ready to offer our consultation for other cities too."
Venkaiah Naidu said that the ministry had been wanting to make metro rail viable.
"It is clean, green and helps people avoid traffic congestion. I have been asking for
relaxing of rules to allow more companies to compete for contracts," he said at a
function organised to flag off first metro rail coach for Kochi Metro Rail at Alstom's
plant at Sri City near Chennai on Saturday.