KOCHI: The elections which are scheduled in seven phases will not affect the progress of the Kochi Metro work due to migrant workers going to cast their votes and the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is hopeful of completing the civil works up to Thykoodam by June this year. At a review meeting of DMRC, the implementing agency of the project, which was held here the other day, the officers assessed the progress of the work.
“The DMRC is committed to complete the work by June this year. As of now, we are hopeful of achieving this target. The works are progressing amidst the scorching summer. The track-laying works are on full swing. Likewise, the works of stations, including that of the wing bridges, are also progressing,” said a DMRC officer.
At present, Kochi Metro conducts services on the 18-km stretch between Aluva and Maharaja’s College Stadium. There are a total of 16 stations now. By extending the services up to Thykoodam, the total number of stations will be 21. Ernakulam South, Kadavanthra, Elamkulam, Vyttila and Thykoodam are the new stations planned as part of the extension. The total distance covered after the extensions will be 23.75 km. The remaining one kilometre stretch up to Petta will be completed in another year. The Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) will also launch the Phase-I (A) extension from Petta to Tripunithura Railway Terminal via SN Junction at a total length of 2 km this year. Along with the progress of the ongoing civil work of the Metro up to Petta, the KMRL will launch the tenders for Petta-SN Junction-Tripunithura stretch soon so as to commission the stretch by December 2021.
After the review meeting, the DMRC has also asked KMRL to assure enough fund flow and material supply to complete the work on time. “The KMRL has assured DMRC adequate fund flow and material supply without any hindrance to complete the work as per schedule,” according to sources with KMRL. The KMRL is planning to conduct trial runs as soon as DMRC will hand over the completed stretch to them. “The date for launching the commercial operations up to Thykoodam will be decided after consulting the state government,” said sources.