PM Narendra Modi to lay foundation stone of Kochi Metro Phase 2 tomorrow: All you need to know

On September 1 at 6 p.m., Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone for Kochi Metro Phase 2. The announcement comes as Prime Minister is all set to visit Karnataka and Kerala on September 1 and 2 to commission the first indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant at Cochin Shipyard Limited in Kochi, as well as to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for projects worth approximately Rs 3,800 crores in Mangaluru. He will also dedicate phase 1A of the metro project, which will run from SN junction to Vadakkekotta.

The ceremony will be held at the Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) trade fair and exhibition centre in the presence of Kerala Governor Arif Muhammed Khan and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Mayor M Anilkumar, Member of Parliament Hibi Eden, Antony Raju (minister of transport), and P Rajeeve (minister of Industries, Law, and Coir) will grace the function with their esteemed presence.

Details of Kochi Metro Phase 2

The proposed Phase 2 corridor of Kochi Metro Rail Project is from JLN stadium metro station to Infopark, Kakkanad will cover 11.2 km. The phase 2 stretch will have 11 metro stations. Phase 1 extension is the first stretch of work directly taken up by Kochi Metro Rail Limited. With the inauguration of Phase IA, Kochi Metro will cover a distance of at least 27 km with 24 stations. The revenue operations of both the stations will begin at 7 pm, soon after the Honourable PM dedicates the stations to the people of Kochi.

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The Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety had given approval for the revenue operations of the Petta-SN junction stretch after the inspections. The works of Vadakkekotta, SN Junction stations, and Panamkutty bridge were started on October 16, 2019, and continued even during the covid pandemic. Vadakkekotta is the biggest among the metro stations, with an area of 4.3 lakh square feet.

Unlike other metro stations, large commercial spaces have been created on both inside and outside the new facilities. Vadakkekotta station depicts Kerala`s role in the freedom struggle as its theme, while SN Junction features Ayurveda and its modern approaches.

As part of its preparatory works in line with Phase I Extension, KMRL constructed the two-lane Panamkutty Bridge with a footpath which transformed the stretch into a four-lane corridor. This bridge was opened to the public on February 15, 2021, within a record time of 15 Months, i.e., six months ahead of the approved schedule.

On completion, the combined Phase I and Phase II metro network will link the major residential and commercial hubs in the city with major transit hubs such as railway stations and bus stands, thus reinforcing the concept of multi-modal integration and first/last mile connectivity. As the SN junction and Vadakkekotta stations are opening for revenue operations, KMRL is expecting to touch an average of one lakh commuters per day.

( With inputs from ANI )