Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel in the Kochi metro corridor from Palarivattom to Pathadipalam and back, prior to inaugurating the system of mass rapid transport at the international stadium at Kaloor on Saturday.
The inauguration has been fixed for 11 a.m. by the Prime Minister’s Office, Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) sources said. The other dignitaries include Union Urban Development Minister Venkiah Naidu and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
There is mounting concern at delay by the PWD and Kochi Corporation in repairing potholed arterial roads in the city, despite the impending VVIP visit. This has been attributed to the agencies not carrying out pre-monsoon maintenance works during the summer.
Councillors take a ride
In the meantime, Mayor Soumini Jain and a team of corporators travelled by the metro on Monday. Safe and hassle-free commuting was Kochi metro’s trademark, Ms Jain said. With this, the Greater Kochi area is expected to shift to an efficient mode of commuting.
This would lessen traffic snarls in the corridor caused by proliferation of private vehicles. It will also open the door for opportunities in tourism and industry. The metro was also disabled friendly, she said.
The corporators sang songs during the entire journey, relishing each moment.
Reacting to the travel on the metro by corporators, KMRL managing director Elias George said that the involvement and support of representatives of the corporation, the municipalities of Aluva and Tripunithura and the Choornikkara panchayat (where the coaching depot at Muttom is located) was crucial for the metro to succeed. The project attained this much completion due to their support, he said.
Medical partner
In another development, Medical Trust Hospital has been selected as the medical partner for the Kochi metro for a period of three years. The KMRL had floated an Expression of Interest for selecting a medical partner, following which the hospital responded.
According to the agreement with the hospital, KMRL will provide space for setting up a medical desk and the hospital will provide emergency medical care at all metro stations. The hospital has to ready all infrastructure and staff required for operating the facility.
Medical Trust would deploy ICU ambulance facility every 5 km to cater to any emergency along the metro corridor. Those who purchase Kochi-1, the pre-paid smart card to travel in the metro, will get discounts for their treatment. The hospital would also provide medical assistance to KMRL initiatives such as marathon, walkathon, and cyclathon.
