Kochi metro's Thripunithura alignment to be fixed soon.

The issue of alignment of Kochi metro’s route with regard to the oil pipeline on the 2-km Pettah-Thripunithura route is expected to be solved in about a month. The Managing Director of Kochi metro is in talks with top officials of the Indian Oil Corporation over the 5-metre setback raised by IOC officials. While Kochi metro’s work on the route depends on the oil company’s safety nods, officials of Kochi metro said that the alignment had been drawn up with the 3-metre setback as per the guidelines of the oil company.

As per the norms, the 3-metre setback was good, said Subramanian Iyer, Joint General Manager, Civil, Kochi Metro, who spoke about the status of Kochi Metro’s work towards Thripunithura at a seminar organised on Sunday by the Thripunithura Mekhala of the Ernakulam District Residents Associations’ Apex Council.

Kochi Metro did conduct a quick survey for a 5-metre setback too. It would have larger social impact with more area coming under land acquisition. As per the norms of the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, the project could be delayed further.

As of now, the works are set to be completed by 2020, despite the various existing delays including land acquisition on the Vyttila-Petta stretch and that of Pettah-Thripunithura.

Speaking on the integrated public transport system that the government is planning to bring about, G.P. Hari, Additional General Manager, Urban Transport, explained how integration at the institution-level, physical-level and information technology-level could make public transport accessible and affordable to commoners.

He said that Kochi metro had taken up a study on Bus Rapid Corridor with the prototype of an electric bus that has a low floor and three entry-exit doors. It is a concept that is coming up for the first time in the country where a dedicated corridor for the bus could be built. The bus would carry 95 persons at a time. At any time when the city develops, this corridor can be converted into Light Rail Transport.

THE HINDU