Kerala - Kochi   

DMRC confident of completing metro in time-bound manner

KOCHI: The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation is confident of completing the Kochi metro-rail project in a time-bound manner, even if the project's alignment is extended up to Kakkanad.

The State government had on Thursday mooted an extension to the Aluva-MG Road-Vytilla-Pettah alignment of the metro-rail up to Kakkanad, so that it would benefit the information technology professionals as well. The proposal came in the wake of the decision taken to complete the first phase of the SmartCity Kochi project by October, 2012.

A high-ranking official in the DMRC said that the easiest way to construct the extension would be to provide a link to Kakkanad from Palarivattom, the shortest route. “This would ensure that the metro-rail criss-crosses the NH 47 bypass at three major junctions — Edappally, Palarivattom and Vytilla.”

“Apart from this, we are also open to extend the alignment to Kakkanad from Pettah and may be up to Kalamassery so that the elevated rails encircle the city. This will benefit thousands of people from Tripunithura and Kakkanad too,” he said.

A feasibility survey through these routes could be undertaken in two months and it would take another month to finalise the drawings. “We are open to the proposals, provided narrow roads along these stretches are widened. The State government must specify the terms of reference for us to go ahead.”

Referring to the proposal to extend the alignment from Aluva up to the Cochin International Airport in Nedumbassery, he said that the airport authorities were yet to respond to the same.

Yet another long-pending demand is to extend the alignment up to Menaka from Madhava Pharmacy Junction, so that the metro-rail would benefit the Goshree Islanders, shoppers visiting Broadway Market and Menaka, boat passengers, people visiting the High Court of Kerala, families visiting Marine Drive and the nearby parks, and students of over half a dozen colleges and schools in the western end of the city.

Contract awarded

Meanwhile, the DMRC has awarded the contract to build the Salim Rajan flyover over the KSRTC bus stand to Cherian Varkey Construction Company. It has to be completed in 15 months' time.

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