The move to setup Kochi Metro’s operation control centre and a station in St. Albert’s College ground was one of the key issues taken up by DMRC’s Principal Advisor E. Sreedharan in his interaction with Union Minister K.V. Thomas here on Friday.
It had been proposed that an acre of land from the ground, located in front of international stadium, Kaloor, would be taken over for the rail project. College authorities had held talks with Mr. Sreedharan and KMRL MD Elias George on the issue.
Considering the college’s opposition, the KMRL is learnt to have suggested a few alternatives, including reducing the amount of land required. A few more reconciliation sessions might be required, sources said. In the meantime, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy’s meeting scheduled for October 26 to evaluate and speed up metro work has been postponed to October 31. He will also hold discussions with stakeholders about developing the city’s road infrastructure and multi-modal transportation amenities alongside metro work.
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Mr. Chandy will address the long delay in the development of Thammanam–Pulleppady Road, widening of Vyttila–Pettah Road and shifting of KWA pipelines from SA Road.
“The meeting is expected to take some key decisions regarding the augmentation of the city’s transportation infrastructure in the context of the proposed metro rail,” said Elias George. Notwithstanding the postponement of the meeting, Mr. Chandy will inspect metro’s work sites on October 26.