KOCHI: District Collector S Suhas on Wednesday instructed revenue officials to fast-track proceedings for acquiring land for the Kochi Metro’s extension to Kakkanad. Suhas issued the directive at a meeting convened by him for taking stock of the various projects being implemented by Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL).Briefing the collector on the steps initiated in this regard, officials said the land acquisition for Metro’s extension from Petta to S N Junction had been completed.
Land acquisition for widening of the Petta-Tripunithura stretch is also over. Disbursal of compensation to those who had surrendered land between Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium to Kakkanad for phase II of Metro is under way, the meeting was told. There will be 11 stations in the Metro extension en route from JLN Stadium to Kakkanad -- Palarivattom Junction, Palarivattom Signal, Chembumukku, Vazhakkala, Kunnumpuram, Kakkanad Junction, Kochi Special Economic Zone, Chittethukara, Rajagiri, Infopark I and Infopark II.
The state government has already approved the extension project and the Centre’s nod for the same is expected soon. KMRL has already launched the widening work of the Seaport-Airport Road in connection with the project. The officers also evaluated the status of land acquisition proceedings for the boat jetties which are coming up as part of Kochi Water Metro. The land needed for constructing 22 boat jetties has to be acquired . The primary notification for boat jetties’ acquisition has been issued.
KMRL authorities told the meeting that the value of the land need to be finalised at the earliest as private land needs to be acquired for the construction of some of the jetties. Under the `747 Crore Water Metro project, implemented by KMRL with the financial support of KfW German Development Bank, 76 boats will be rolled out in a phased manner in the backwaters of Kochi while 41 new boat jetties will be constructed.