AFD to grant Rs 841 crore for Metro extension

The state cabinet on May 20 had given the approval for extending metro rail to Kakkanad from the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. “The process of foreign funding for the work was hastened following the government nod. The French agency gave in principal approval for extending the additional loan at a meeting held at the AFD office in New Delhi the other day,” Mr. George said at the start of a four-day workshop on “Mass transit projects — an opportunity for urban development,” aimed at creating a road map for an integrated intermodal transport system for Kochi.

The AFD had already provided Rs 1,527 crore long term loan for the first phase of the Kochi metro project from Aluva to Petah. The workshop aims to formulate a draft of the Unified Metropolitan Transpor-tation Authority (UMTA) in such a way that it provides connectivity to all parts of the city through various modes.

On when the UMTA Act will be implemented, Elias George said the Cabinet and Assembly have to take a call on this. “We need a comprehensive Government Order to bring all stakeholders under one roof.”

Etienne Lute, India-Programme Coordinator of French Consultancy agency Corporation for Development of Transport in Developing Countries (CODATU) said the priority should be given to quick transportation from eastern parts of the city to the West.

“Stakeholders at the workshop will define commuting needs of ordinary people and find an integrated solution. Integrating different modes of transport holds key to the success of Kochi Metro. With metro as the backbone, the city can achieve quick progress,” he said. The workshop will conclude on June 3.