KOCHI: Those waiting for the commissioning of the Thykoodam-Petta stretch of Kochi Metro will have to wait a little longer as the Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) has decided to postpone the same due to the Covid-19 outbreak.The decision came in the wake of the rescheduling of the March 25 inspection by the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) owing to the virus threat.
The 1.3km-long stretch is the final leg of the first phase of the project and was supposed to be commissioned by March end or the first week of April. The state government had permitted KMRL to commission the stretch without holding a public meeting.. However, the firm postponed the move as the inspection was rescheduled.
The Centre had also asked KMRL to mull the possibility of deferring the commissioning of the stretch considering the gravity of the situation. At present, metro services are being conducted on a 23.65km-long stretch between Aluva and Thykoodam covering 21 stations. Upon its commissioning, the stretch will take the total length of the Kochi Metro to 25km and the total number of stations to 22.
Thermal scanning started at 11 metro stations
In view of Covid-19, KMRL has introduced thermal scanning of passengers at 11 metro stations. Kochi Metro Special Police (KMSP) personnel will manually check every passenger before allowing them to enter the platform. The devices will be set up in the remaining metro stations in the coming days. Any person found ill or showing symptoms of Covid-19 will be advised to go home and seek medical aid. KMRL has also decided to ensure passengers are not seated together. Instructions in this regard will be announced inside the trains and displayed on the LED screens at the stations.
“Passenger safety is our prime concern. We have to ensure passengers do not have any unnecessary social contact,” said KMRL managing director Alkesh Kumar Sharma. As part of the state government’s ‘Break the Chain’ campaign, KMRL has also set up kiosks at the stations for the passengers to wash hands and use sanitisers. KMRL is also cleaning the stations periodically.
No metro tomorrow
Kochi: KMRL has decided to suspend Kochi Metro’s operations on Sunday as part of its initiative to spread awareness on the importance of staying indoors to fight Covid-19, said KMRL managing director Alkesh Kumar Sharma. The move comes in the wake of the Janata Curfew announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the day.