Preparatory work on the Kochi Metro rail project will be in full swing by next month, according to Elias George, managing director of Kochi Metro Rail Corporation (KMRL).
As part of this, land at the busiest MG Road and south side of the Banerji Road will be handed over to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Thursday and south railway station road by February 15. Works in connection with the widening of Banerji road are likely to start by next week.
A high-level meeting will be conducted soon for the planning of diversion of traffic during the construction period.
The DMRC has submitted a revised estimate for these works for which the state government has already allocated Rs 50 crore. Construction of new overbridges at the northern side of the city had been completed now and work on Salim Rajan overbridge on the southern side is in full swing. Re-building of the north overbridge will commence soon. ·The cost of the land as well as the building owned by Corporation of Kochi, situated on the South railway station road is valuated.
Meanwhile, KMRL in an affidavit filed on Wednesday at the Kerala High Court said it would acquire land at 16metre width, but considering the busiest business area only 12 metre would be acquired at MG Road. Width cannot be reduced below 12 metre as it may affect the safety of the metro, it said.
