Kochi Metro Rail - A reality!!

 

 

It is indeed a great feeling that a project which one followed since years is going to be a reality in few days. All the approvals are in place; now it is matter of inauguration of the phase 1A of Kochi metro rail by our PM Narendra Modi on 17-Jun-2017.

 

There would be many who argue that Kochi really needed more flyovers than a metro or those who say the patronage in metro would be less as it does not have parking place or also those who say it is just a stretch of 13.4 KM which is being opened. I think everyone has their own reason and rationale to support their views but no denial that the Queen is getting a metro of international standards and 7th Metro in our country after Kolkata, Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, Jaipur & Chennai.

 

The interesting fact is that Kochi metro will be the fastest metro (in India) to be inaugurated when we consider time from initiation of construction to inauguration (within 4 years).

 

This is absolutely tremendous when we see that a state like Kerala with varied challenges like availability of materials and disruption in work got there in record time. Can you guess the reason for above two points? Well, it is easy since it is Kerala - Hartal (Strike). But we still managed to have metro on track in 4 years with great work from the best contractors & of course with personal touch by DMRC, especially from E. Sreedharan.

 

Extra benefits from Kochi metro:

 

We should not forget the benefits which Kochi metro gave to us before even it is inaugurated. The works done by metro team were to build bridges, widening roads and resurfacing many stretches which our corporation could not have done even in 15 or 20 years. We must congratulate metro for this. They are as follows:

• Railway over bridge over the Salim rajan road called AL Jacob RoB
• Road widening from Town hall to Madhava pharmacy junction
• Series of roads which were resurfaced
• Edapally flyover (though many say it should have been aligned in better way)
• Pachalam railway over bridge

7 lady loco pilot for Kochi metro

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Future of Kochi metro - Lines

 

So the first stretch to be opened to public will be from Aluva to Palarivattom.

 

 We all know that land acquisition and related works are too slow from Vytilla to Pettah stretch and we would only see full phase being completed in 3 years (somewhere at the end of 2019).

 

But the stretch from Palarivattom to MG Road (5KM) is expected to be over in few months from now by at least August.

 

There is also a proposal for extension of metro to Kakkanad and with new metro policy it looks difficult to get funds from central government. But still let us wait for more clarity as this rule may not be applicable for the currently approved metro.

 

 We all wait now for 17^th June for Modi to inaugurate Kochi metro from Kaloor stadium.

 

PM Modi to inaugurate Kochi metro on 17th June 2017