KOCHI: Two lanes of the four-lane of the reconstructed Chambakkara bridge will be opened for traffic in May 2019. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), which is entrusted with the redevelopment, said the entire four-lane bridge will be completed in May 2020.
The Metro viaducts will be constructed in the centre of the fourlane bridge, just like the North Railway Overbridge (RoB), a DMRC officer said. The North Rob also was reconstructed by DMRC as part of the Kochi Metro. The reconstructed Chambakkara bridge will have a total length of 310 metres and a width of 8.5 metres. The estimated cost of construction is Rs 33.66 crore.
The DMRC officer said the extension of Metro from Maharaja’s Ground to Thykkoodam will be inaugurated next year. The civil works along the stretch will be completed by this December. Out of the 5-km between the Maharaja’s College Ground and Thykkoodam, work on 1.25 km has been completed. The laying of tracks will begin at the completed stretch soon. The 1,500-metre stretch between Elamkulam and Manorama Jn and the 1,200-metre between Vyttila and Kunnara Park will be completed by the first week of December. There will be a total of five stations between Maharaja’s College Ground and Thykkoodam. The remaining work from Thykkoodam up to Petta will only be completed in 2020.
Though there will only be just one stop in between Thykkoodam and Petta, it will take a minimum of 18 months to complete the civil works. The reconstruction of Chamabakkara bridge is also important to carry out the civil works here. Moreover, a small stretch of land is yet to be acquired at Chambakkara for Metro civil works.