THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The flyovers proposed at Pattom and Sreeakariyam in the capital as part of the proposed Light Metro rail project will soon be a reality as the state government is expected to take decision on the merger of Kerala Rapid Transit Corporation Limited (KRTL) and Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) in the cabinet meeting this week.
This also hints that the Light Metro project for Thiruvananthapuram is back on track. However, the confirmation can be made only after the cabinet meeting this week, according to sources. The 1,145 metre (1.14 kilometre) four-lane flyover at Pattom will start from Plamoodu junction to the PSC headquarters office after Pattom junction towards Kesavadasapuram.
The land acquisition for the project has been completed and compensation has been awarded to the land owners. The flyover is expected to be completed within two years and the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) has already handed over Rs 16. 46 crore. Since the stretch is already widened, the revenue department had to acquire only 23 cents of land for the project.
The construction of the flyover is likely to begin within three months along with the construction of Sreekariyam flyover. The total cost for the construction of the Pattom flyover is Rs 138 crore.
Though the KRTL is the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for the project, it is likely to be merged soon with the KMRL and the latter is expected to float tender for selecting the contractor for the two flyovers very soon, sources said.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, Vattiyoorkavu MLA VK Prasanth said that a final decision on the merger of KRTL and KMRL is likely to be taken in the next cabinet meeting. "We are expecting the merger soon and KMRL will be the executing agency of the project. The land acquisition proceedings for the Pattom flyover have been completed as majority of the land included here are government properties. Once the merger process is completed, the KMRL will invite tender for the construction of the project and it will begin within three months," he said.
He also added that the pillars for the Light Metro project would be built on the median of the proposed flyover. This is also applicable at Sreekariyam too which comes under Kazhakoottam assembly constituency.
The length of the proposed Sreekariyam flyover is 535 metres. The land owners were given time for evacuation proceedings for the project. The land acquisition is also completed and the revenue department will soon hand over the land to KRTL or KMRL, if the merger happens.
The district administration had acquired about 1.34 hectares from 168 private parties in Cheruvakkal, Ulloor and Pangappara villages. About Rs 70 crore from KIIFB was set apart for land acquisition for the flyover.