Kochi: Provision of adequate parking space for vehicles of commuters will be a major headache for metro authorities on commencing commercial operation in the new Maharaja’s College Ground-Thykoodam section.
The only station to have adequate parking space will be Thykoodam which can accommodate up to 200 cars besides a similar number of bikes.
“Though the station at Vytilla Hub has scope for amble parking space, the same won’t be available right now. It will be ready only when the second phase of the Vytilla Mobility hub project is taken up for implementation,” said a senior metro official. The Vytilla Mobility Hub Society (VMHS) has submitted a Rs 590-crore Hub second phase development project to the finance department’ nod, the final hurdle before the Cabinet sanction. However, the same is yet to be taken up.
The only other stations to have the facility are Elamkulam and Kadavantra which can handle only 10 to 20 vehicles.
This, even as commuters are set to face much difficulty at Ernakulam South metro station.
“There is no parking space here and the station will have only one entrance (right hand side). We’re constructing a four-star hotel at the other side,” the metro official said.
“Ideally the metro station should be inside the railway station premise. It will be difficult for passengers interchanging the transport mode to carry heavy luggage all the way to the metro station or back which is a good 200 metres away,” said R.D. Manikandan, a regular train passenger.
