The official logo and name of Kochi metro is all set to be launched in July.
This will see the interim logo that resembled the Malayalam letter, ‘Ka’, (that stood for both Kochi and Kerala), being substituted with a new logo selected by the metro’s customer-experience consultant Tata Elxsi. “The official logo will be a modernised version of the older one. Official branding of the metro too is expected shortly on the lines of ‘Namma Metro’ for Bangalore,” sources associated with the venture said.
The name KOMET that was chosen over two years ago was dropped after it drew opposition from different quarters.
Tata Elxsi was also entrusted with other key tasks, including choosing the colour and aesthetics of the exterior and interior of metro coaches to wean people away from private vehicles to the system of mass-rapid transport. “The aim is to make commuting by the metro a soothing and customer-friendly experience,” the sources said.
The unveiling of metro coaches bearing the final look too is expected to be done alongside the logo release function. The integration of aquamarine blue colour into the exterior of coaches being built by Alstom at its factory in Chitoor district of Andhra Pradesh is in the final stage. A clear picture of integrating different colours with interiors too will emerge then.
Sources said Alstom had sought a change of tone for aquamarine blue, since the colour, though attractive, looked different on different surfaces.
Timelines revised
Meanwhile, the scheduled timelines to complete metro’s pending works have been revised due to the monsoon and other factors. “Laying of rails on the Aluva-Maharaja’s College Ground viaduct, which was slated to commence in June, has been postponed to August since welding works cannot be done during the monsoon,” metro sources said.
This will be followed by work on third traction — a third rail that will supply power to metro coaches. The rails for the purpose have arrived. The manufacture of signalling equipment is under way and will be installed once third traction work is over.
Though deadline for civil works in the viaduct and metro stations was December, it might skip the deadline by a month. But viaduct, station and track works in the Aluva-Palarivattom corridor will be completed by December since metro coaches for conducting trial runs are expected by year-end.
The work on two sub stations to provide electricity for the metro system is on at Muttom near Aluva. “ Civil works at the coach-maintenance depot in Muttom for trial run too are under way and will adhere to the timeline,” sources added.
