Kochi: The wait for residents in eastern side of the city to travel in the Kochi Metro would be longer. The land acquisition issue has turned out to be a major hurdle and it would take a minimum two-and a half years for the Metro to reach Petta. “Acquisition of land and widening of the road between Thykudam and Petta (three kms) is still to be completed. I’m expecting that it would take about two-and-a half years to open the section from Maharajas College to Petta,” DMRC principal advisor E. Sreedharan told DC.
The Kochi Metro construction in the 25-km section Aluva-Petta was originally scheduled to be completed in June 2017 as per contract. However, the work fell behind schedule, with authorities targeting to commission the 13-km long Aluva-Palarivattom section by March end and the 18-km long Aluva-Maharajas College by June. The construction in the seven-km long Maharajas-Petta section, however, is yet to begin after Vytilla Hub. Land owners in Vytilla –Petta stretch have been demanding higher compensation as per the amended Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act. Despite efforts, the authorities so far succeeded in acquiring only 21 out of the total 64 plots, sources said.
Meanwhile, extending the Kochi Metro to Trippunithura now looks a distant dream despite the proposal earlier getting nod of the Central and the state governments. “The section from Petta to Thrippunithura is yet to be handed over to DMRC for execution. If and after this section is handed over, it would take three years for completion,” the ‘Metroman’ said. However, Sreedharan observed that despite many hurdles, the Kochi Metro project is the fastest in the country. “Upon commissioning of the Aluva- Palarivattom section (13 kms), it will be the fastest first section to be opened in any Metro in this country. In spite of delays in handing over land, frequent disruption to work due to labour unrest, quarry strikes, hartals and bandhs, we succeeded in completing this in less than four years,” he said.
