The Kerala Cabinet has decided to bring two proposed monorail projects in the State under a single special purpose vehicle.

Kerala Monorail Corporation Ltd will henceforth take care of the implementation of the projects proposed for Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram.

The Chief Minister will be the chairman of the new SPV, a fully owned company under the State Government.

The Rs 1,991-crore elevated rail-based mass rapid transport system at Kozhikode running to a length of 14.5 km will be taken up first for implementation.

The 41.8-km Thiruvananthapuram monorail project is expected to cost Rs 5,099 crore and will be taken up later for phased implementation.

The first phase is expected to cost Rs 2,775 crore and the second phase, Rs 2,324 crore.

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has already submitted the detailed project report for the Kozhikode project.

National Transportation Planning and Research Centre, an autonomous agency under the State Government, has submitted the feasibility report for the Thiruvananthapuram project.

DMRC has been commissioned to prepare the detailed project report here as well.

>vinson.kurian@thehindu.co.in