Title - Verma is Ludhiana Metro MD

Chandigarh:The Punjab Government has set the ball rolling for the implementation of the Ludhiana metro project worth Rs 10,000 crore. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has approved the appointment of Rakesh Verma, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana, as the Managing Director of the Ludhiana Metro Rail Corporation.Verma has been told to prepare a blueprint of the corporation at the earliest. Badal is keen to launch the project early next year. The Central Government, which has given its nod to the project, has directed the state government to send its feasibility report. The Centre is to pay 20 per cent of the total cost of the project and an equal amount is to be paid by the state government. The project will be built in the PPP mode. The major stake holder will be the private player to whom the bid would be allotted.For the project, Badal has also given his approval to two committees. One will be high powered committee headed by the Chief Secretary. The task of this committee will be to deal with inter-departmental issues. The other committee will be a group of officers and will be headed by the Principal Secretary, Local Government.