Kochi Metro Phase II Set to Begin Construction on Two More Stations

Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) is gearing up to start construction on two additional Metro stations as part of Phase II of its expansion. The Revenue Department has issued notifications for land acquisition necessary to build the Chittethukara and Cochin SEZ Metro stations along the new Pink Line, which connects JLN Stadium with Kakkanad.

The SEZ station will require 0.235 hectares of land, while 0.1810 hectares will be acquired for the Chittethukara station. Earlier, the government had granted permissive sanction to KMRL to begin construction of the Infopark station, with work already underway.

The Pink Line project, encompassing a total of 11 stations, is budgeted at ₹1,957.05 crore. KMRL has awarded the construction contract for the 11.2-km-long viaduct to Afcons, with a contract value of ₹1,141.32 crore and a project duration of 20 months.

Stations planned under the project include Jawaharlal Nehru (JLN) Stadium, Palarivattom Junction, Palarivattom Bypass, Chembumukku, Vazhakkala, Padamughal, Kakkanad Junction, Cochin SEZ, Chittethukara, Kinfra, and Infopark.

According to sources from KMRL, the Revenue authorities are in the process of completing formal acquisition procedures for the land needed for the Chittethukara and SEZ stations. The acquisition is being conducted under the provisions of the LARR Act, 2013, with the District Collector ensuring compliance with all relevant acts and rules, including the Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act, Coastal Zone Regulation Act, and Environmental Act.

With an allocation of ₹239 crore in the 2024-25 financial budget for Phase II, construction activities commenced two months ago, marking significant progress in Kochi's metro expansion efforts.

ET