While the Kochi metro awaits encouraging patronage from regular commuters and ‘joy riders’ during the initial few months, Wi-Fi facility will be in place in trains and stations on the Aluva-Palarivattom stretch in around two months to attract net-savvy passengers.
Though there were a dozen bidders in the fray to provide the facility earlier this year, the contract to ensure Wi-Fi link had to be rebid.
The network can be availed free of cost for some time, while commuters will have to pay for the rest of the duration.
The facility is exclusive to metro commuters and can be availed only in ticketed areas, meaning only commuters who take tickets/swipe pre-paid cards and enter a metro station’s paid area can avail it.
This makes the Kochi metro the second after the Delhi metro to provide the facility to commuters. “The rebidding process is on,” KMRL officials told the media during a familiarisation trip to metro stations on board the trains on Tuesday.
Loos in unpaid area
Yet another interesting aspect of the metro corridor is the toilets that are located in the unpaid area at all stations, they added.
“This will be a boon to road users along the entire corridor. They can use the toilets for free by climbing to the concourse on the first floor,” the officials said.
Only commuters with tickets or pre-paid cards can enter the ticket gates, gain access to the paid area, and proceed to the platforms located on the second floor. All the 11 stations on the route have staircases, escalators, and lifts.
The elderly as well differently-abled will get preference in using lift and in seating in trains. One ticket counter at each station is located at a lesser height for their benefit.
Rough-surfaced tiles have also been laid out from the entry to stations up to the platform to guide the visually-impaired. The rest of the flooring is predominantly granite.
Themed stations
The work on themes at stations is over, and they provide commuters with an enlivening experience, straight out of nature. Exterior work is still under way at a few stations, and it is expected to get over in a fortnight.
While private security guards and Kudumbasree workers have been posted at stations, personnel of the State Industrial Security Force (SISF) will be offered training in soft skills before they are deployed at stations. Each station has an x-ray scanner to screen bags and luggage.
There are also emergency trip systems on platforms, which passengers can use to cut off power supply to the third rail from which trains source power, in case of emergency.
Meanwhile, Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) will soon zero in on an event-management firm to organise the metro’s commissioning by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in two days. “Three firms are in the fray,” sources said.
