KOCHI: Though the Revenue Department has completed the initial survey for land acquisition ahead of the Metro Kakkanad extension, uncertainties still prevail over the alignment.
Since some of the high-rise buildings, Kerala Media Academy and the shrine of Sree Narayana Guru will be affected, the Kochi Metro Rail Limited authorities have asked the Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES) to review the alignment.
“Some of the high-rise owners have approached us expressing apprehensions over the likely demolition of their properties. The takeover of high-rise residential buildings will be challenging and economically not feasible. Our policy is to avoid acquisition of public organisations like Kerala Media Academy for the project. Hence, the RITES has been asked to identify other viable options and the final alignment will be decided after their report is submitted,” said an official of KMRL.
According to KMRL, the agency’s topmost and only priority is safety and technical feasibility of the alignment.
As per the existing alignment, a major portion of the Media Academy has to be acquired. The KMRL has also been requested to avoid acquisition of the shrine of Narayana Guru at SN junction, Palarivattom.
Meanwhile, the KMRL has already completed the peg marking along the 11-km Kakkanad line from Jawaharlal Nehru stadium to Infopark.
Compared to other routes, land acquisition along Kakkanad will be a tough task as illegal encroachments are rampant along the civil line road from Palarivattom to Kakkanad.
As per the present alignment, the Metro line will pass through Palarivattom, Vazhakkala, Padamugal, pump junction, Sea Port- Airport Road to reach Infopark at Chittethukara.
The new line will have 12 metro stations – Kaloor stadium, Palarivattom junction, Palarivattom bypass, Chembumukku, Vazhakkala, Kunnumpuram, Kakkanad junction, SEZ, Chittethukara, Rajagiri and Infopark-I and Infopark-II.
