Kochi Metro's new stretch inaugurated


PTI | Kochi | Updated: 03-09-2019 17:37 IST | Created: 03-09-2019 17:37 IST
Kochi Metro's new stretch inaugurated
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Kochi Metro's new stretch from Maharaja's College junction to Thykoodam was inaugurated on Tuesday. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the service at a function presided over by Minister of State for Housing and Union Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.

Other dignitaries included Metro man E Sreedharan, Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden, Kochi Mayor Soumini Jain, MLAs M Swaraj and P T Thomas. They all travelled on the first Metro train from Maharaja's College junction to reach Kadavanthra station to attend the inaugural function at the Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium.

Earlier, the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety had granted sanction for the new stretch which has a total of five stations - Ernakulam South, Kadavanthra, Elamkulam, Vyttila and Thykoodam. Foundation stones for constructing the Petta-SN Junction Section of Kochi Metro and for Kochi Water Metro Project to provide intermodal connectivity between jetties, bus terminals and metro rail were also laid on the occasion.

Puri said the government has arranged a sovereign loan from KfW of Germany as external funding for this project. He said developing the urban transport was crucial since 600 million people would be living in urban areas by 2030.

"I have absolutely no doubt, the work which we have done in the area of urban transport, in the area of Metro rail is providing a solid basis for those objectives. We currently have about 657 km of metro lines which are operational in 18 cities.

"Another 873 km of metro lines, including 82 km of Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Rail Transit System, is under construction. With the commissioning of the 5.65-km section from Maharajas College to Thykkoodam, a total of 663 km of Metro rail lines will become operational," he said. The Minister recalled his visit to Kochi for the inauguration of 2nd Phase of the Metro project in October 2017, just a month after becoming a minister in the Narendra Modi government.

The first phase was inaugurated by Modi in June 2017. Pinarayi Vijayan said the Kochi Water Metro - first urban transport system in the country - would be commissioned in March 2020.

Land acquisition for the Rs 743-crore water metro project is being done at a fast pace, he said. PTI TGB NVG NVG.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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