KOCHI: The bygone year - 2017- had been a bonanza for the city in infrastructure terms, with the hugely anticipated Kochi Metro Rail chugging off. Similarly, the New Year will witness the launch of some major infrastructure projects as well as people-friendly initiatives. Though no major infrastructure projects will be commissioned in the city in 2018, the year will, nonetheless, see the progress of the civil works of such projects. In short, 2018 will see the groundwork for bigger launches in the city in the future, infrastructure-wise.
Water Metro
The tender for the Water Metro project will be finalised by March-April 2018. The `747-crore project will see 78 new modernised boats being rolled out in the Kochi agglomeration, offering better connectivity to the islands with the city centre. The project will cover a total distance of 75 km. There will be 38 jetties which include renovated ones and new ones. The phase I of the project will be commissioned in 2019, with its completion scheduled for 2021. The German Development Bank, KfW, will provide external borrowings for the project. The environment-impact assessment (EIA) report of Water Metro is under the Centre’s consideration and the nod is expected to be given this year.
Smart City Mission
It was in June 2014 the Narendra Modi Government mooted the the plan to develop 100 Smart Cities. Kochi was included in the first batch of cities which were approved for the project. Though the development model was finalised, the project is yet to materialise in the city. However, a project management consultant had indeed been roped in for the project in 2017. The New Delhi-based IPE Global Ltd will design, develop, manage and implement various programmes under the Smart City Mission. The first phase of the project is likely to be kick-started in 2018. KfW, has already offered support to the Cochin Smart Mission along with fellow German urban transportation and sanitation expert GIZ. The project area, includes Mattanchery and Fort Kochi in the West Kochi area, Marine Drive, Broadway and MG Road at the city centre. The Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) will implement nearly 15 per cent of the total projects planned under the Smart City Mission.
SmartCity-Kochi
SmartCity-Kochi, the IT special economic zone(SEZ) at Kakkanad, went through a tumultuous phase in 2017. The SEZ is an 84:16 joint venture between Dubai Holding and Kerala Government. The Dubai Holding’s stake was held by TECOM Investments. The past year saw TECOM Investments getting abolished and its stake transferred first to SmartCity-Dubai and later Dubai Holding. The restructuring in SmartCity-Kochi saw Baju George moving out as its MD and Manoj Nair being appointed as the Chief Operating Officer (COO). SmartCity-Kochi also settled its dispute with its project management consultant Synergy Property Development Services which affected its work in 2017. The New Year will see whether the SmartCity-Kochi lives up to its promise of constructing the second IT building measuring seven lakh sq ft or the ongoing IT slowdown will hit this ambitious project with companies cutting down on their expansion plans. Also to watch out is the ongoing construction work of the nearly 65 lakh sq ft space.
Metro Rail
It will be a year of promotional activities for Kochi Metro. The trains are at present operating between Aluva and Maharaja’s College. The next stretch up to Thykoodam will be completed in 2019. Hence, the KMRL will focus on brand building and creating a passenger base in 2018. The Smart Card- Kochi1- which will enable passengers to travel on various modes of transport will be the key component the Metro agency will promote.
Preparatory work on Kakkanad
The state Cabinet has already given administrative sanction for Kochi Metro’s phase II development from Jawaharlal Nehru International(JLN) Stadium to Infopark via Kakkanad. With an estimated outlay of `2,557 crore, the extension will cover a total area of 11.2 km and will have 11 stations - Palarivattom Jn, Palarivattom Signal, Chembumukku, Vazhakkala, Kunnumpuram, Kakkanad Jn, Kochi Special Economic Zone, Chittethukara, Rajagiri, InfoPark I and InfoPark II stations. The Centre has asked the KMRL to submit a revised proposal after assessing the project’s financial viability. The sanction for the extension is expected to be granted in 2018.
Vyttila flyover
The construction of the new flyover at Vyttila, the state’s busiest junction, is expected to go full throttle in 2018. The `78.36 crore project is being executed by Sree Dhanya Constructions. The length of the bridge will be 702.41 m. It is not so much the flyover’s construction as the traffic diversion on account of the project work which might prove a major headache to the authorities.