June 2009. Already, the NATPAC has submitted a metro rail project covering a total distance of 32.6 km from Karipur to the Calicut Medical College. The cost of the project was estimated at Rs. 27.71 billion and was expected be completed within five years. The monorail project which replaced the metro rail project was estimated to cost Rs 1,991 crore has received a bid from the lone bidder Bombardier consortium, and was almost double of the estimate. The project was scrapped and the Light Metro has been approved. Proposed route As per the proposal for Metro, it would start from Karipur Airport, touching Ramanattukara, Meenchanda, Mini- Bypass, Arayadathupalam and culminate at the Medical College. An estimated 2083,000 people would get the benefits of the new transportation system by 2031. The project, which can be partly finished within three years, will be economically and technically feasible. However the detailed project report prepared by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, the alignment for Kozhikode Monorail is retained for the Light metro project. The funding The Union government was in favour of implementing the project with private participation, ruling out its own financial involvement. The Ministry of Urban Development and the Planning Commission were also against government investment in the project, and refused to accept it as a project in line with the Delhi Metro and Chennai Metro. The political rivalry between the earlier Left Front government in Kerala and the UPA government at the Centre was a major reason for such developments and the slow down in the project. The change in government in Kerala changed that scenario, making the Kozhikode Metro one of the top priorities of the UDF government. But later, not to affect the Kochi Metro project The Kerala cabinet under the Chief Ministership of Oommen Chandy decided to give clearance only for the Kozhikode Monorail project, replacing the Metro rail project. The newly proposed Light Metro is proposed to be implemented as government initiative expecting a viability gap funding from the central and state government. Remaining fund is expected to be sourced internally and externally form competent agencies. Proposes The project was proposed to cover a distance of 14.2 km with 15 stations, from Medical College Hostel to Meenchanda. The car depot was proposed to be located about east of the Medical College Hostel station on of vacant land owned by the government. The monorail was proposed to be built