Commuting in the Greater Kochi area is all set to witness a qualitative change in the coming decade with Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagging off the Kochi metro on Saturday and offshoots to suburban towns such as Thripunithura and Kakkanad planned in the near future.
The metro will have an integrated waterway link on Kochi’s western and northern side once 78 modern ferries begin operating under the banner of Water Metro by around 2021.
Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL), the special purpose vehicle created by the government to manage the Kochi metro, has envisaged it as an extension of the metro rail system, which will in turn benefit lakhs of people residing in west Kochi, other areas in the city’s coastline, and the plethora of islands that dot the backwaters.
Airport, west Kochi
Next in line will be metro’s extension towards the Cochin international airport, 12 km from the terminal station at Aluva. A plan was mooted to make Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) share a portion of the project cost, but it did not take off as, at the time, CIAL was not keen on the venture.
A senior airport official said the Parliament Standing Committee on Urban Development prefers the conventional model of the metro’s airport link being executed by using government funds. “This is because the metro brings in huge social benefits, by lowering congestion, pollution, accidents, and increasing the quality of life in a city. We hope to get a metro link once the Kakkanad extension is over,” he said.
Yet another demand to extend the metro to west Kochi has been put on hold as high-passenger capacity boats being procured under Water Metro are expected to meet the demand.
World-class system
KMRL managing director Elias George said that Tripunithura and Kakkanad, two densely populated suburban municipalities, will form part of a world-class system of mass rapid transport, while at the same time considerably augmenting passenger patronage in the main corridor that is estimated to cost ₹5,182 crore, when completed.
At present, the DMRC is confident of executing the two-km Thripunithura extension and pending works on the Vytilla-Pettah stretch by early 2020, while the KMRL might take another two years to construct the 11-km Kakkanad extension that will link the metro with Kerala’s IT capital.
Network effect
The metro can be viable only if it has network effect, that is extensions from the main corridor which has a linear alignment, Mr. George said.
“This will in effect provide a jump in passenger patronage and income. The Kakkanad link is crucial since the IT hub will generate 2.50 lakh jobs soon.”
The 11-km extension that will take off from St Martin's Church Junction, near the international stadium at Kaloor, will end at Infopark and will have 11 stations.
Extension plan
“The extension proposal (for which the State expects 20% Central funding) is pending with the Union Ministry of Urban Development. It must then be screened by the Union Finance Ministry, prior to be placed before the Public Investment Board and the Union Cabinet,” Mr. George said.