KOCHI: The Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) on Wednesday conducted trial runs between Maharaja’s Metro station and the Thykoodam station, a 5.75-km stretch. The trial run began from the Maharaja’s Metro station at 6.50 am and reached the Thykoodam station at 8.20 am. The train returned from Thykoodam at 8.45 am and reached Elamkulam at 9.25 am. The KMRL also conducted one more run during the day. The second train started from Elamkulam at 11.46 am and reached Thykoodam by 12.40 pm. The same train reached Maharaja’s station at 1.30 pm.
“The trial runs were successful,” said a KMRL officer. The average speed of the train was 5 kmph, he said. The speed of the train from Aluva to Maharaja’s station during commercial operation is 40 kmph. The maximum speed achievable is 90 kmph. He said the speed during the trial run varies from 5 kmph to 20 kmph.
There are five new stations - Ernakulam South, Kadavanthra, Elamkulam, Vyttila and Thykoodam - on the new stretch.The trial run on Wednesday was conducted after filling the trains with sandbags matching the weight of 900 persons. The technical officers of KMRL and DMRC, the implementing agency, also took part in the trial runs.
Initially the plan was to open the new stretch during Onam season in September. However, an official said the date has not been finalised yet as the work may not be completed by September.
Balanced cantilever bridge
Earlier on July 21, the KMRL had successfully conducted a trial run from Maharaja’s station to Ernakulam South Junction, where the balanced cantilever bridge is located. The test runs were conducted through the balanced cantilever bridge for two more days later. The balanced cantilever bridge at Ernakulam South is considered a modern-day engineering marvel. Built over railway lines, it was completed in two years and 11 months at a cost of Rs 58 crore.
The metro stretch from Maharaja’s to Thykoodam is the second part of the Kochi Metro’s first phase from Aluva-Pettah of 25.65 km. The final leg of 1.20-km Thykoodam-Pettah corridor is expected to be opened by next March.
Metro phase-II
Recently, the state cabinet gave its approval for Metro Rail’s second phase from Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium to the IT hub of Kakkanad. The 11.2-km extension will cover 11 stations and has an estimated project cost of F2,310 crore. The stations are Palarivattom Junction, Palarivattom Bypass, Chembumukku, Vazhakkala, Kunnumpuram, Kakkanad, Kochi CEZ, Chittethukara, Kinfra and Infopark-1.
In a nutshell
● Distance between Maharaja’s and Thykoodam stretch: 5.75 km
● Five stations on the stretch: Ernakulam South, Kadavanthra, Elamkulam, Vyttila and Thykoodam
● Initially it was planned to open during Onam
● Final leg from Thykoodam-Pettah in March