The State government’s inordinate delay in according Cabinet nod to the Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (UMTA) proposed for Kochi might have an adverse fallout on the clearance awaited for Kochi metro’s Kakkanad extension from the Central and State governments.
With a new Metro Rail Act taking effect in 2017, Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) had submitted a revised DPR to the State government for the 11-km extension in the Palarivattom-Infopark-Smart City corridor. “The DPR is under consideration of the Chief Minister and will shortly be forwarded to the Centre,” official sources said.
Responding to the uncertainty over the extension and delay in forming UMTA, KMRL managing director A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish said that having such an authority to bring about seamless integration of different modes of public transport is a pre-requisite for the Centre’s sanction for new metro projects and extension of existing ones. “The State Cabinet had approved the UMTA-Kochi Bill (in January 2018) and this in itself is sufficient to get the Centre’s approval.”
The UMTA-Kochi Bill is awaiting the Assembly’s endorsement. Though KMRL, the nodal agency to spearhead UMTA, was pinning hopes on the ongoing Assembly session, this has not materialised so far. The UMTA Act had missed the bus during half a dozen Assembly sessions convened during the past over two years. The UMTA, as an umbrella body to streamline and enhance the quality of different commuting modes, is mandatory to obtain the Centre’s financial assistance for metro projects, as per the new Metro Rail Act.
Else, other options for mass transit like tramway or a bus-rapid corridor (BRT), which entail much lesser capital investment, would have to be probed, sources said.
The estimated cost for metro’s Kakkanad extension is approximately ₹2,500 crore. The Centre’s nod for the extension is also required to kick-start preparatory works like widening the narrow but congested and heavily encroached upon Palarivattom-Kakkanad Road to 22-metre width.
The UMTA rests on three foundations — introduction of a single timetable for different modes of transport, common command and control, and single ticketing.
Integrating buses
Even as UMTA-Kochi legislation is awaiting the Assembly’s nod, KMRL has taken the initiative to install GPS in around 1,000 private buses that operate in the Greater Kochi area, to enable better integration of buses and the metro. “A journey planner to help commuters plan their journey better sans wasting time and effort will soon be unveiled. This will be followed by re-routing of buses through arterial and side roads which have inadequate public transport,” Mr. Hanish said. Plans are also afoot to install GPS in KSRTC buses operating in the region.
