Giving a fillip to the preparatory works for Kochi metro’s Thripunithura extension, Principal Advisor to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) E. Sreedharan inspected the Pettah-Thripunithura (S.N. Junction) corridor on Monday to zero in on the most feasible alignment.
The alignment will pass through the centre of the road, taking care to steer clear of underground utility pipelines that are tough to relocate. Cables and a majority of pipelines would be shifted, metro sources said. No time frame has been set for the 2-km Thripunithura extension since land has not been fully acquired even in the Chambakkara-Pettah corridor. December has been set as the deadline to complete the land acquisition process up to Pettah.
A team of officials led by Mr. Sreedharan also visited the Chambakkara Bridge which will be pulled down to pave way for a four-lane structure.
Here, DMRC has begun work on relocating utilities, though land acquisition has not been completed. The metro viaduct will hover over the bridge, like in Edappally and Ernakulam North.
Mr. Sreedharan instructed metro officials to speed up ongoing civil and other works in the Maharaja’s College Ground-Chambakkara corridor.
The DMRC is expected to begin piling over the central median of Vyttila junction by mid-December.
Speaking about metro’s Kakkanad extension which is set to be executed by the Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL), sources said a study to finalise the revised detailed project report (DPR) would be over before March. It will then be submitted to the Centre to adhere to the provisions of the new metro rail policy.
Metro village
A high-level meeting is expected to be convened shortly since the Public Works Department has opposed the handing over of its land to house the 17-acre metro village envisaged by the KMRL at Kakkanad. Revenue from the integrated township having apartments, commercial structures and open spaces will be crucial to fund metro’s operation and maintenance expenses.