The Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) is confident of executing the metro rail’s 11.2-km-long Infopark extension with help from the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).
“A final decision on project execution has not been taken. In case we decide to do the extension, we hope to induct DMRC’s team at Kochi (who are engaged in executing metro’s Aluva-Tripunithura Phase One works) to strengthen our implementation capacity,” said KMRL’s managing director Elias George.
KMRL already has 30 persons — technical experts and others — who have worked in metro-rail systems in other States. This is besides eight persons who are on secondment to DMRC’s Kochi office to get trained in metro’s civil works. The DMRC will also give them inputs on metro’s operation and maintenance.
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The Kakkanad extension can be built simultaneously with metro’s Aluva-Maharaja’s College Ground-Tripunithura Phase One corridor. “The DMRC is expected to have its project office here till at least 2017 and the KMRL may rely on them for conceptual help,” metro sources said.
“The DMRC’s commitment will end with metro’s Phase One. It is up to the KMRL to carry out metro’s extensions to Kakkanad and other places,” said a senior DMRC official.
On raising funds worth Rs. 2,017 crore for the proposed extension, a KMRL official said the launch of construction works would be delayed if they were to wait for the Centre’s formal nod. “There is already saving worth around Rs. 1,000 crore on metro’s Rs. 5182-crore Phase One since the bid for coaches and systems were awarded at lesser amounts than the estimate. We could also save approximately Rs. 200 crore since Axis Bank has volunteered to install a multi-modal smart card system. The bank would, in addition, pay the KMRL Rs. 209 crore. The rest of the funds can be raised from the State government and through loans,” sources said.
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They said road widening as part of preparatory works was expected to be hassle-free and encroachers on the Palarivattom-Kakkanad Road could easily be moved out.
Stadium station
Metro commuters from Aluva and from the city will have to alight at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium station and board trains proceeding eastward to reach Kakkanad and Infopark. “A two-tier station will be built at the stadium to enable this. Trains to Aluva will proceed along the national highway while those going to Kakkanad will be diverted from the junction in front of St. Martin’s Church, Palarivattom,” metro sources said.