Kochi(Metro Rail News): Kochi Metro Rail ( KMRL) has recently proposed to the state transport department suggesting that Thiruvananthapuram Metro should be constructed from Kazhakkoottam Junction to Putharikandam ground spanning 14.9 Km.
The initial plan to launch metro services at Technocity in Pallippuram was scrapped following a government directive to explore a new alignment. This change came after it was understood that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) might not approve road excavation for metro pillar construction due to concerns over the ‘defect liability’ period.
The new proposal will likely navigate through these places:
- Technopark
- Kariavattom university campus
- Ulloor
- Murinjapalam
- Pattom
- PMG
- legislative assembly
- Palayam
- Bakery Junction
- Thampanoor
- Putharikandam ground
Furthermore, KMRL is also planning to add three more alignments by including LuLu Mall, other prominent colleges, and spots in the proposal.
KMRL MD Loknath Behera mentioned “We submitted a technical report incorporating the recommendations of various stakeholders. A Metro starting at Kazhakkoottam Junction will have many advantages and we can start work quickly by avoiding procedural delays. We can even think of Pallippuram at a later stage. We do have three to four alternatives that cannot be disclosed until the govt takes a final decision in this matter,”
The new proposal suggests that the Metro could be extended to Pallippuram in Technocity during Phase II. KMRL also indicated that potential extensions to Kudappanakunnu and Neyyattinkara could be considered in Phase-II.
According to the detailed project report previously submitted by Kerala Rapid Transit Corp Ltd (KRTL), Phase-I of the Light Metro project, spanning 21.8 km from Pallippuram to Karamana, was estimated to cost ₹4,673 crores.