Kerala Govt nods for ₹7,446-cr Light Metro Rail Project

Kerala Government has given administrative sanction for the Light Metro project for Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode costing ₹7,446 crore. Kerala Rapid Transit Limited (KRTL), the special purpose vehicle set up to execute the project of 35.12 km length in the two cities, has been given the nod to forward the revised DPR to the Centre. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) had submitted the DPR about two years ago as per the revised Metro Policy-2017 of the Centre. It was approved by the KRTL board on October 19, 2020, and cleared by the Cabinet early this month.

As per the Government Order Public Works Department, the Light Metro along the 21.8-km corridor from Pallipuram to Karamana in the State capital will now cost ₹4,673 crore on completion and the 13.3-km Medical College to Meenchandha stretch in Kozhikode will cost ₹2,773 crore.

The contribution of the State is ₹2,187 crore, including land cost, spread over a period of five years.

For transit-oriented development, the DPR has recommended enhancing the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) along the metro corridor from 2.5 to 4. In the case of value capture finance, property tax along the corridor will be increased by 50%. As part of the PPP component of the Metro policy, an automatic fare collection system, lifts and escalators will be provided at ₹213 crore.