Kochi Metro Rail gets Rs. 356-cr expansion

The state cabinet has granted administrative sanction to extend Kochi Metro up to Tripunithura whereby the Phase 1 B will be extended from Ernakulam S.N. Junction to Tripunithura Railway Station / Bus depot at an investment of Rs 356 crore. The stretch is expected to be completed in two years. KMRL has promised to commission 1.5-km long Pettah-SN Junction section by 2021 and the stage is also set for execution of the Rs.290-crore Tripuni-thura Mini hub project, an integrated transit terminal acting as a converging point of the Kochi Metro, the railways and the transport buses. The Urban affairs department had earlier given the nod for acquiring 12.90 acres of land for setting up a modern bus terminal near Tripunithura railway station and the proposed Kochi Metro rail station also falls in the area. The agency is constructing a 21-metre wide road connecting S.N. Junction (Seemas auditorium along Refinery Road)

to the railway over bridge along the Hill Palace Road. An MoU has been signed for construction of 27 road-over- bridges: the cabinet granted sanction to Kerala Rail Development Corporation to sign MoU with Central government and railways for construction of over bridges. Cabinet gave sanction for Cherpulassery Bypass construction and town development project which will be implemented by Road Fund Board at a cost of Rs.15.86 crore.