Vadakkekotta metro station: Land to be handed over by Dec 15.

The land acquired by the revenue department for the construction of Kochi Metro station at Vadakkekotta will be handed over to Kochi Metro Rail Ltd. (KMRL) before December 15. After a holding a review meeting of the various projects being implemented by KMRL, District Collector S Suhas instructed the officers concerned to take steps for handing over the land before the stipulated deadline. 

In Phase 1 (A) extension of Kochi Metro, train services will be extended from Petta to SN Junction, which includes the construction of two stations — at Vadakkekotta and SN Junction. The total estimated cost of the work is Rs. 299.87 crore. As part of the extension, the Panamkutty Bridge on the proposed stretch will also be reconstructed.

Meanwhile, in the review meeting held on Wednesday, KMRL officers said the environmental impact study report for the extension of services from SN Junction to Tripunithura was discussed. The report has been submitted to the state government for its approval. The Phase 1 (B) extension from SN Junction to Tripunithura includes work on one metro station (Tripunithura Terminal) near the Tripunithra railway station for Rs. 162.98 crore.

Meanwhile, for the second phase of Kochi Metro from Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium to Kakkanad via Infopark, the district collector instructed the revenue officers to complete the land acquisition in Kakkanad village and hand over the land to KMRL before December 25. A total of  11 stations will be there on the route from JLN Stadium to Kakkanad including Palarivattom Junction, Palarivattom Signal, Chembumukku, Vazhakkala, Kunnumpuram, Kakkanad Junction, Cochin Special Economic Zone, Chittethukara, Rajagiri, Infopark I and Infopark II.  The state Cabinet has already approved the extension project and the Centre’s nod for the same is expected soon.

Water Metro

The review meeting also assessed the progress of land acquisition for the Water Metro projects. The land has to be acquired for 22 boat jetties of which the primary notification for 14 jetties is already approved by the government. Under the Rs 747-crore Water Metro project, to be implemented by KMRL with the financial support of KfW German development bank, 76  modernised boats will be rolled out in a phased manner in the backwaters of Kochi while 41 new boat jetties will be constructed. The Cochin Shipyard is expected to hand over the first set of boats by the end of this year.

Growing footprint

In Phase 1 (A) extension of Kochi Metro, train services will be extended from Petta to SN Junction.

THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS