Kerala govt to speed up Kochi metro project

To take Centre’s financial support

Kerala state government has decided to speed up the implementation of Kochi Metro project with the support of the central government. A high-level meeting convened by the chief minister Oommen Chandy has decided to commence the work of basic amenities for the Kochi Metro project within 30 days. It also decided to implement the project in line with Chennai metro with the financial participation of the central government.

Oommen Chandy said the prime minister had assured him that the Kochi Metro would be implemented in line with the Chennai model. The central and state governments will have equal stakes in the project.

The central government and the Planning Commission are not in favour of the Delhi metro model, where the full cost is paid for by the Centre. So, the Union and state governments will be partners in the project and a major portion of the funding will be moblised from the finanacial institutions.

The Kerala government will form a separate company for the puropose and will also take speedy measures to acquire the land for the project. As a prelude to the start of work, the north overbridge, the busiest one in Kochi city, will be windened. In order to divert the heavy traffic, Thammanam-Pulleppady road will be widened on war footing.

Vyttila - Thripunithura, Kalamassery - Thripunithura roads and many other roads will also be widened in order to ease the traffic in the city. The project cost of the metro has been now enhanced to Rs 4,400 crore and Rs 159 crore is earmarked for the development and windening of roads and for the windening of the North overbridge. The total proejct cost as estimated five years ago was Rs 2,000 crore.

The metro rail project would connect Alwaye in the north with Thripunithura on the south, a distance of 25.23 km. Earlier, the new government has thought of implementing the project as PPP model, but later swtiched over to Chennai model. E Sreedharan, chairman, Delhi Metro, said that once the preparatory works are over construction of the proejct can start within a couple of weeks.