Kochi Metro

Kochi Metro, is an under construction Rapid Transit System  for the city of Kochi in the State of Kerala, India.

The first phase is being set up at an estimated cost of 5,181 Crore(US$890 million), and is expected to be completed by 7 June 2016

In Dec 2004 the Kerala Govt. assigned the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) the task of preparing the detailed project report (DPR) for the Kochi Metro Rail Project.

The Kerala government had sought Central Government's assistance for the project to be built on the lines of the Delhi Metro Project in terms of funding. The Centre refused this request The Union Government was in favour of implementing the project in Public-Private-Patnership (PPP) on the build-operate-transfer model, ruling out its own financial involvement

The Ministry of Urban Development and the Planning Commission of India were also against government investment in the project, and refused to accept it as a project in line with the Delhi and Chennai Metros

Land Acquisition
The total amount of land required for the project is 40.409 Hectares.The total land required for all stations is 9.3941 hectares, including area required for parking lots. Aluva, Pettah, Kalamassery, Edappally and Kaloor stations will have larger parking areas requiring about 2.7869 hectares of land. The coach depot at Muttom requires 23.605 hectares of land, higher than the originally estimated 17 hectares

The district-level purchase committee fixed the maximum compensation for land acquisition at 5.2 million per cent for the land to be acquired for preparatory works. The district administration can take ownership of land only after paying at least 80% of the price.

On 4 March 2013, Ernakulam District Collector P.I. Sheik Pareeth announced that the revenue department had completed the process of acquiring 42 acres at Muttom for setting up a maintenance yard. The price of land was fixed at 102,000 (US$1,800) per cent, which amounts to a total of 440 million (US$7.6 million) for the enitre 42 acres.It was also announced on that the revenue department had completed the land acquisition process for setting up 8 metro stations — Ambattukavu, Muttom, Cusat, Edappally High School, Kaloor, Elamkulam, Thykkodam and Pettah

Preparatory work is being carried out before the metro construction. The preparatory works include the widening of 3 arterial roads - Banerjee Road, MG Road, South Railway Station Road - and the construction of a new rail overbridge (RoB) near KSRTC station and a foot overbridge.The work was being undertaken by DMRC initially but was later undertaken by KMRL, due to a shortage of qualified personnel with the DMRC

The DMRC will execute all preparatory works. The State government had set apart 1.58 billion for preliminary works. On 3 March 2012, KMRL handed over 150 million to DMRC for undertaking the preparatory works

On 22 March 2012, the Public Investment Board (PIB) gave clearance to the Kochi Metro project. With PIB recommendation, the project proposal would go to the Union Cabinet for the final approval. It was decided that the contribution from the Union Government would be 20.26% of the total project cost which works out to be 1,002.23 Crore (US$170 million).

On 28 March 2012, at a KMRL board meeting, the decision was taken to officially entrust the Kochi Metro rail project work to the DMRC. The meeting also finalized the number of metro stations on the line as 22, instead of the earlier proposed 23

On 3 July 2012, Union Government gave final clearance to the project

Cost of Kochi Metro Project
The total cost of the Kochi Metro project is 5,181.79Crore(US$890 million). As per the sanction of the Public Investment Board (PIB), the Central Government will make a contribution of 1,002.23 crore (US$170 million) the Kerala Government a contribution of 1,772.23 crore (US$300 million) and 2,174 crore (US$370 million) will be raised as loan from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh laid the foundation stone for the project on 13 September 2012

Construction work on the Kochi Metro rail project began on 7 June 2013,with the piling works for the viaducts near Changampuzha Park, after an official launch ceremony held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium at 10:30am on the same day

The contracts for civil works for the construction of viaducts and stations for Kochi Metro were awarded separately for four stretches -
Aluva to Kalamassery (L & T)
Kalamassery to Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium(L & T)
Stadium to Ernakulam South (Soma Constructions) and
Ernakulam South to Pettah (Era Infra Engineering)

Kerala Cabinet Approves 22 Stations in Kochi Metro Project -Wednesday June 19,2013
The Cabinet on Wednesday approved the 22 proposed stations for the Kochi Metro Project.They are -

• Aluwa
• Pulinchodu
• Companypadi
• Ambattukadavu
• Muttam
• Kalamassery
• Cochin University
• Pathadippalam
• Edappally
• Changanpuzha Park
• Palarivattom
• Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium
• Kaloor

• Lissy
• MG Road
• Maharaja’s College
• Ernakulam South
• Kadavanthra
• Elamkulam
• Vytilla
• Thykoodam and
• Petta