The piling work for the first Metro Rail station near the Kaloor bus stand premises will begin on Monday. According to a DMRC spokesperson, barricading has been completed on the stretch from the area near the bus stand to the PVS Hospital.
The machinery for the purpose has been readied. The Kochi metro station at Kaloor is expected to be one of the busiest stations especially because of its connectivity to the bus stand and main roads in the city. The barricading at the stretch began last week. Once the piling work starts, the work of the next station at Aluva will begin soon, said officials.
Meanwhile, the work along the MG Road stretch was halted for some time on Saturday owing to the unearthing of a cable during the piling work. Also, the loose soil along the stretch is slightly hindering the progress of the work. “We have abandoned the work on the particular pile and have started work on the rest. A total of 32 piles will be constructed along the stretch,” DMRC officials said.
Soma Constructions is undertaking the work here. Officials added that the Metro Rail work along the MG Road poses to be more challenging than the other earmarked areas. The progress is smooth in the area between Changampuzha Park and Aluva. Widening work is currently being undertaken on Banerjee Road. Agitations are rife against the acquisition of the Operation Control Centre (OCC), which is the nerve centre for the Kochi Metro rail, at the St Albert’s College ground. Even though the KMRL officials are in talks with the management, St Albert’s College manager Fr Antony Arackal said that the management is firm that it would not part with a cent of land for the construction of the OCC and alleged that the vested interests were behind the move to set up the OCC on the ground.