Kochi: The Kochi Metro construction in the third reach from Maharajas College to Thykoodam has commenced with the new contractor Cherian Varkey Construction Company and Vijay Nirman Constructions (CVCC & VNC) planning to carry out the activities from both ends.
“The construction activities are planned at both ends – Jos Junction and Thykoodam. A test pile has been done at Jos junction and soon the full scale construction by erecting barricades will start. The land in the Thykoodam-Pettah stretch is yet to be handed over,” metro sources said.
The Rs 300 crore project will include construction of elevated viaduct besides that of three metro stations – Ernakulam South, Thaikoodam and Petta, in the nine-km long section from Maharajas College to South station and from Kunnara Park to Pettah.
The construction work till Thykoodam is aimed to be completed in 20 months by March 2019, sources said.
The metro authorities are also planning to complete construction of the 90-metre long balanced cantilever concrete span diagonally over the railway lines at the South station by December.
Meanwhile, the metro authorities will hold the signaling trial in the five km section from Palarivattom to Maharajas College later this week. “We’ve started the preliminary works such as ‘Migration Planning’ – incorporating changes in the signaling and communication software to control the train operations from the Muttom Operation Control Centre,” they said.
