Kochi: With only months to go for commencement of Kochi Metro operations, the Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) has identified 12 corridors for operation of feeder services. “The feeder services will be operated in Hub and spoke model and include circular and point to point services. A total of 40 routes have been identified to operate the services providing last mile connectivity to metro commuters. Each route will be between four to eight kms long while the longest corridor is of 58 kms,” a senior metro official said.
The corridors identified include Ankamaly-Aroor (55 kms), Ankamaly-Poothotta (55 kms), Kodungaloor-Puthoota (47 kms), Kodungaloor-Aroor (58 kms), Ernakulam Jetty-Ernakulam jetty (Inner city circular route –39 kms), North Paravur- Perumbavoor (34 kms), Fort Kochi –Airport (two routes via Kundanoor (45 kms) and via Tevara (42 kms), Fort Kochi to Perumbavoor (41 kms), North Paravur to Tripunithura (41 kms) and Fort Kochi-Chottanikkara (28 kms). “The services will be conducted in both clockwise and anticlockwise directions and will pick or drop commuters from any point in between. In some routes along the metro corridor, the feeder services will go upto three kms. Direct services to the airport from the city or its outskirts will also be operated for the benefit of those commuters having heavy baggage,” the official said.
Meanwhile, KMRL is set to seek the government’s nod for its Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) under which 14 mobility hubs are also planned in the district complimenting the Metro corridor. As per the conceptual plan, the major hub would come up at Thevara while one more inter-modal transportation mobility hub would be developed at Aluva besides the existing Vytilla Hub. The remaining ten intermediate hubs are proposed at Kodungaloor, Cherai, Paravoor, Ankamaly, Perumbavoor, Kakkanad, Tripunithura, Puthotta, Aroor, Fort Kochi and Vypeen. Also, two intermodal logistics Hubs are planned to be developed at Kalamassery and Aroor. “The consent of the railways is needed for the realization of the former,” he said.
