KOCHI: Kochiites' wait for new Metro stations to open for the public is finally over. Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is arriving in Kochi on Thursday will inaugurate Phase 1A -- the first stretch of Kochi Metro Rail from SN Junction to Vadakkekotta. Modi will also lay the foundation stone for Kochi Metro Phase 2 from JNL Stadium to Infopark, Kakkanad, a stretch of 11.2 km.
The ceremony will be held at the CIAL trade fair and exhibition centre. Along with the PM, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will be present at the function
The proposed Phase 2 corridor of the Kochi Metro Rail project will have 11 metro stations. With the inauguration of Phase 1 A, Kochi Metro will cover a distance of at least 27 km with 24 stations-- Aluva to Vadakkekotta. The Phase 1A stretch will extend till Tripunithura, where the construction is going on.
According to the Metro officials, the revenue operations of both the stations will begin at 7 pm on Thursday, soon after PM Modi dedicates the stations to the public.
Earlier in June this year, the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety had approved for the revenue operations of the Petta-SN Junction stretch after the inspections.
The works of Vadakkekotta, SN Junction stations, and Panamkutty bridge started on October 16, 2019.
On completion, the combined Phase I and Phase II metro network will link the major residential and commercial hubs in the city with major transit hubs such as railway stations and bus stands, thus reinforcing the concept of multi-modal integration and first/last mile connectivity.
As the SN junction and Vadakkekotta stations are opening for revenue operations, KMRL is expecting to touch an average of one lakh commuters per day.
Vadakkekotta is the biggest among the metro stations with an area of 4.3 lakh square feet. Unlike other metro stations, large commercial spaces have been created on both inside and outside the new facilities. Vadakkekotta station depicts Kerala’s role in the freedom struggle as its theme while SN Junction features Ayurveda and its modern approaches as the theme.
As part of the preparatory works in line with Phase I Extension, KMRL constructed the two-lane Panamkutty bridge with a footpath which transformed the stretch into a four-lane corridor. This bridge was opened to the public in February last year.