With the government awarding the turnkey consultancy for the preparatory works of Light Metro, Delhi Metro Railway Corporation Ltd. (DMRC) can take up all such works, including flyovers, in the two cities.

“The main work on the Rs.6,728-crore elevated Light Metro can start only after approval from the Centre, which the DMRC now intends to chase,” the brain behind Light Metro and DMRC Principal Adviser E. Sreedharan told The Hindu over the phone on Wednesday.

However, rolling stock details are necessary for planning the civil works. “We intend to seek the government’s approval to float the rolling stock tender immediately but will not award the tender until the in- principle approval is received from the Government of India,” Mr. Sreedharan said.

The DMRC has already finalised the specifications of the rolling stock. The decision will be based on the report of a six-member team led by Mr. Sreedharan that visited Kuala Lumpur and Taipei in May to study the rolling stock used in the urban rail system there. The DMRC has proposed an 18-metre-long and 2.5-metre-wide rolling stock, with aluminium or stainless steel body, in the detailed project report for Light Metro that is awaiting the Centre’s nod.

French company Alstom that supplies rolling stock for Kochi Metro Rail; Bombardier; Hyundai-Rotem; Kawasaki; Hitachi; and China CNR Corporation Ltd., the leading rolling stock companies, had presented the specifications and their stock on offer to the DMRC.

Responding to the Cabinet decision, Mr. Sreedharan said no other hurdle was now anticipated.