The state government of Kerala has released a notice for the acquisition of land for the construction of nine Metro stations as part of Phase II of the Kochi Metro. A social impact assessment is currently being conducted. The new line will showcase environmentally sustainable architecture with minimal design, and its estimated cost is Rs 1957.05 crore. Despite the delay in commencing work, the Agence Française de Développement is expected to provide funding, and it is projected that the second phase of the Kochi Metro will be completed by 2028, serving an additional 150,000 passengers daily.
The state government of Kerela recently released a notice to procure land for building nine Metro stations as part of Phase-II of the Kochi Metro. The notification mentions the stations' names, which are Palarivattom Bypass, Chembumukku, Vazhakkala, Padamugal, Palarivattom, Kakkanad, Cochin SEZ, Chittethukara, and Kinfra. The construction of Palarivattom, Kakkanad, Cochin SEZ, Chittethukara, and Kinfra stations will require 0.9544 hectares of land from Edappally South and Kakkanad villages.
The Palarivattom bypass station will have 0.15 hectares of land acquired, while the Chembumukku, Vazhakkala, and Padamugal stations will have 0.18, 0.2, and 0.15 hectares respectively. Rajagiri College of Social Science has been tasked with conducting a social impact assessment (SIA) study for the land acquisition, and it is anticipated that the study will be finished within one month.
KMRL has stated that the second phase of their project will feature environmentally friendly architecture that represents sustainability. Two stations' entry and exit works have already begun, and the focus will be on minimal design, in contrast to Phase I. The state cabinet has recently given administrative approval for the new line of Kochi Metro, with a revised estimate of Rs 1957.05 crore.
In September last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 11.2 km-long Phase-II corridor of Kochi Metro by laying the foundation stone. The project cost has already increased due to the delay in acquiring land and commencing work. The KMRL officials had previously stated that the construction of the second line would start in January 2023. The Agence Française de Développement (AFD) is expected to provide funding for this stage, and it's anticipated that Phase 2 of Kochi Metro will be finished and available for use in 2028.
The proposed extension is aimed at improving transportation connectivity and reducing traffic congestion in the city of Kochi and provide easy access to important landmarks and business districts in the city. Once completed, it is expected to increase the daily ridership of the Kochi Metro by approximately 150,000 passengers.
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