KOCHI: Marking the completion of Phase-I of Kochi Metro Rail project, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the three-km-long stretch from Thykoodam to Petta on Monday. The virtual inauguration will be presided by Hardip Singh Puri, Union Minister of State (independent charge) for Housing and Urban Affairs.Though the Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety (CMRS) had approved the opening of Petta Metro station back in May after the KMRL completed the works in March, its commissioning was delayed due to the Covid-induced lockdown.
At present, Metro services are being conducted on the 25.61-km-long stretch between Aluva and Thykoodam. With the commissioning of the new stretch, the total length of the Kochi Metro’s network will be 28.61km.With the commissioning of Thykoodam-Petta stretch, KMRL is anticipating a huge footfall of passengers which is expected to decongest traffic on the Tripunithura-Vyttila stretch.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on June 17, 2017, inaugurated the first stretch of the Metro service from Aluva to Palarivattom. The second stretch from JNI Stadium in Kaloor to Maharaja’s College was opened in October of the same year. Though it took another two years for the inauguration of the third stretch from Maharaja’s to Petta, the final stretch is scheduled to be opened to the public within a year.
“We are glad that on the first day of restoring the Metro service, we are extending the service to the new station. Following the inauguration, the Metro will operate from Aluva to Petta and back,” said Alkesh Kumar Sharma, managing director, KMRL. Soumini Jain, Mayor, Hibi Eden, Ernakulam MP, A K Saseendran, Transport Minister, and MLAs, P T Thomas and M Swaraj, will attend.
Lockdown delayed plans
Though the Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety had approved the opening of Petta metro station back in May after the KMRL completed all the works in March, the commissioning of the same was delayed due to the Covid-induced lockdown.