KOCHI: Following the successful trial run of the Kochi Metro on the Thykoodam-Petta stretch last weekend, the Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) is all set to commission the stretch by next month.
The commissioning of the 1.3km-long stretch will mark the completion of the first phase of the metro’s construction which was officially launched in June 2013. At present, metro services are being conducted on the 23.65km-long stretch between Aluva and Thykoodam covering 21 stations. The commissioning of the new stretch will take the total length of the Kochi Metro to 25km and the total number of stations to 22 with Petta station being the newest.
“The viaduct, track laying and electrification works are over as are the structural works of the new station. Only 10 per cent of finishing work, including that of a portion of a roof, remains,” said a KMRL officer. Continuing the practice of using themes that reflect the culture of the state for its stations, KMRL has selected ‘fishing’ as the theme of the Petta station.
At present, it costs a metro passenger `60 to travel from Aluva to Thykoodam. This fare may be retained till Petta. However, an official declaration is yet to come.
Tripunithura SN Jn in 2022
With the first phase nearing completion, KMRL will now focus on the work till S N Junction at Tripunithura. The work is expected to wrap up in March 2022.
2 total number of metro stations once the Petta station is opened
DMRC may wind up operations in kochi
Once the work till Petta is over, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), which was implementing the first phase of Kochi Metro among other works, is likely to wind up its operations here. The KMRL will directly execute the phase 1 (a) works up to Tripunithura and the remaining phases. DMRC officials hinted at this, saying most of its technical team members had moved to other locations. Though the government had tasked it with the reconstruction of the controversial Palarivattom flyover, DMRC could not launch the work as a case related to the flyover is under the High Court’s consideration. “Even if DMRC takes up the work, it will require only a small team. Hence, the DMRC office at Ernakulam South will most likely be closed down by June,” said a DMRC officer.