The Kochi metro viaduct between Maharaja’s College Ground and Thykoodam will be ready by June 2019, while efforts are under way to extend the metro beyond S.N. Junction, upto Thripunithura railway station, Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) Managing Director A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish has said.
If realised, this will see the metro call at the heart of Thripunithura, covering an approximately 1-km distance beyond the terminal station proposed at S.N. Junction. “Both KMRL and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) are working together to try to realise the extension up to the railway station,” he said here on Wednesday.
Delay in land acquisition in the Thykoodam-Pettah corridor for building the metro viaduct is a cause for concern. The Pettah-S.N. Junction viaduct will be built along the same alignment that was proposed originally, Mr Hanish said, referring to oil companies initially objecting to the alignment in the vicinity of oil pipelines.
Kakkanad extension
On the metro’s 11-km-long Kakkanad extension, he said that a revised DPR prepared by KMRL was submitted to the State government on February 16.
The Centre’s new metro rail norms make it mandatory that metro is permitted only in cities that have UMTA. Alternative modes of mass transit too must be probed. The State government had sanctioned ₹168 crore to widen narrow roads and to do other preparatory works to take the metro to Kakkanad.
Social impact study would begin soon along the corridor. The metro must ideally be extended up to Smart City which is expected to generate 1 lakh jobs, Mr. Hanish said.
Regarding KMRL’s Water Metro initiative, he said the design consultant (to finalise specifications for the 78 modern ferries) would be appointed in March. Surveys are on and efforts are under way to have air-conditioned vessels powered by solar and electric power. Once realised, this will bring in a lakh people living on the islands and other parts of the Greater-Kochi area to the city. It will decongest the roads leading to the city from West Kochi, NHs, Container Road and Goshree isles, he added.
Hub development
Mr. Hanish expressed happiness over the executive committee of the Vyttila Mobility Hub Society entrusting KMRL with second phase development of the hub.
While recognising the role of Kudumbasree workers in the metro system, he said that a new agreement would be inked with the agency shortly. It was also decided to entrust Kudumbasree with the responsibility of maintaining vertical gardens and median gardens.
