Kochi Metro Project

Why Kochi Metro? Ministry of Urban Development predicts an average city speed of 6 to 8 kmph by 2030, which is the speed of a morning walker, if urban transport is not properly planned and developed now.

Kochi Metro Project

Kochi Metro Project is being set up at an estimated cost of 5,146 crore (US$1.03 billion), and is expected to be completed in 2015.
It was expected to be started by 2006 and completed by 2010.

Kochi Metro will follow the Chennai Metro and Delhi Metro models. The alignment was created by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and will be made on a PublicPrivate Partnership basis, with investments by the Central and State Governments, and the nodal agency being KINFRA.
On completion, the Kochi Metro Rail Ltd. (KMRL) will operate the metro.

The land requirement for the implementation of the project is 27 hectares.

The land required is in Ernakulam, Elamkulam, Poonithura, Thrikkakara North, Edappally South and Aluva West villages. About 63 houses and 98 shops would be affected when land is acquired

Cost
As per the sanction of the Public Investment Board (PIB), the Centre will make a contribution of 1,002.23 crore (US$199.94 million) 2,170 crore (US$432.92 million) will be raised as loan from Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC). An amount of 25 crore (US$4.99 million) had been allocated by Sr KM Mani, finance minister of Kerala, in his 2011 budget for the development works of Kochi metro The 2012 Union Budget allocated 60 crore (US$11.97 million) for the Kochi Metro project. In the 2012 State Budget, finance minister K. M. Mani, allotted 150 crore (US$29.93 million) for the Kochi Metro project.

Route Map

Tickets are expected to be priced between 10 and 30 Rupees

Name of stations

Technology Used
It was initially proposed to use maglev trains from South Korea for Kochi Metro. The coaches would not have wheels and would float over the magnetic rails.

However,
On 14 February 2012 chief of DMRC, stated that Kochi Metro would use standard gauge system like the Delhi Metro. Kochi Metro will be a light metro-rail, with five coaches in each train.

What is maglev? Maglev transport is a means of flying a vehicle or object along a guideway by using magnets to create both lift and thrust, only a few inches above the guideway surface.

What is light metro-rail? Light metro-rail has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metrosystems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems.

Technical Features
Construction methodology: Elevated viaduct carried over pre-stressed concrete U shaped girders with pile / open foundations Rolling stock: 2.7 m wide modern rolling stock with stainless steel body, standard gauge axle load of 3 tonnes Voltage: 750 V DCPower supply source: 66 KV ACPower collection: Third Rail Bottom Collection System: Light Metro SystemType of signalling: Automatic signalling with protection & warning system

Telecommunication: Integrated system with Fibre Optic cables, SCADA, Train radio, PA system etc

Key People

E. Sreedharan

Managing Director : Shri Tom Jose IAS

Future Expansion
Many possible extensions of the metro to Menaka, Kakkanad, Tripunithura, Cochin International Airport and West Kochi have been proposed.

There is a proposal for the metro rail project to be extended from Aluva to the Cochin
International Airport at Nedumbassery, a distance of about 8 km. The DMRC also has plans to extend the Kochi metro rail up to Kakkanad from Palarivattom. The Tripunithura Rajanagari Union of Residents' Associations (TRURA), in a memorandum to Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, has requested an extension of the proposed metro line, which terminates at Petta, toThrippunithura