KOCHI : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Kochi Metro’s Tripunithura terminal virtually from Kolkata on Wednesday, marking the completion of the first phase of the urban rail network from Aluva to Tripunithura covering 28 kilometres and comprising 25 stations.
The long-awaited opening of the Tripunithura station is expected to bring more passengers to Kochi Metro and thereby enable the daily average ridership to cross 1 lakh. The launch of the terminal is also good news for Kochi city-bound rail passengers who face delays because of the frequent halting of trains near or at the Tripunithura railway station as it is located close enough for them to switch over to the metro.
On the inaugural day, the first train – carrying children with disabilities – will depart for Aluva at 10am. Commercial operations on the Tripunithura-Aluva route will commence after that. While the Kochi Metro has approved Rs 75 as the ticket price from Aluva to Tripunithura, as part of the inaugural offer, passengers will be charged only Rs 60 until further notice.
Six pillars of the terminal, including the ones at the entrance and inside the station, have murals depicting Kerala’s heritage and showcasing Tripunithura’s celebrated festival, Athachamayam. Besides, the metro station will also house a dedicated dance museum, which has sculptures of various dance forms from Kerala. The museum will be opened to the public soon. The Kochi Metro’s 25.2km Aluva-Pettah phase one stretch has 22 stations. The phase 1-B stretch from SN Junction to Tripunithura was completed at a cost of `448.33 crore, inclusive of land acquisition.
Kochi Metro Phase 1 Timeline
Sept 2012: Then PM Manmohan Singh lays foundation stone
Jun 2013: Construction for Aluva-Palarivattom stretch begins
Feb 2016: First test run conducted between Muttom Yard and Kalamassery
Jun 17, 2017: Kochi Metro inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi and opened for commercial operations
Oct 2017: Palarivattom-Maharaja’s College stretch inaugurated
Sept 2019: CM Pinarayi Vijayan and Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri inaugurate Maharaja’s College-Thykoodam stretch
Sept 7, 2020: 1.33km Thykoodam-Petta stretch opened
Sept 1, 2021: 1.8km Pettah-SN Junction stretch opened
Mar 6, 2024: PM Modi to launch SN Junction-Tripunithura stretch