The trial run on the 1.8 km-long Petta-SN Junction extension (Phase 1-B of the metro) of the Kochi Metro was conducted from 11 pm on Sunday to 4.30 am on Monday, before the corridor was made operational in a few more months.
The trial runs were carried out at an average speed of 5 kmph, mainly for the purpose of testing the stability of the tracks. KMRL sources said it will continue till Monday midnight, after which tests will be conducted at high speed.
This is the first corridor that KMRL has implemented on its own, which covers most of the engineers and staff aged 35 years and below. The 25 km long Aluva-Petta Phase-1 corridor was prepared by DMRC. Those monitoring the first day of testing included KMRL Director (Systems) DK Sinha, AR Rajendran and General Manager Venu Koshi.
The 1.8 km viaduct and associated facilities include the stations of Vadakkekotta and SN Junction (which are in the final stages of work). With this, the number of metro stations will increase from 22 to 24.
Piling for the expansion began in October 2019. “We were able to complete the work as per schedule within 27 months, despite multiple lockdowns during the last two years. The cost of expansion is Rs 453 crore, which includes the cost of land acquisition. The cost of land for the stations alone is Rs 99 crore.
Describing the start of the trial run at SN Junction as eagerly awaited, KG Nandakumar, President, Tripunithura Railway Station Road Residents Association lauded the efforts made by a number of stakeholders including Tripunithura Rajnagari Union of Residents Association (TRURA) and by. The then MLA M. Swaraj made it to dominate the government to accept the extension.
Phase 1-B. under road demand
“We are now waiting for the timely completion of the 1.16-km-long extension (Phase 1-B) from SN Junction to the terminal station near Thripunithura railway station. But it is a matter of concern that the proposed road under this corridor is yet to be built. People fear that the absence of a road will lead to traffic jams on the existing roads leading to the terminal station of the metro and the adjacent railway station,” he said.
A similar view was expressed by a school teacher, P. Shayla, whose house is located next to the railway station road. “The rest of the metro corridor is four lanes or wide of roads below that, leaving the terminal station without proper road connectivity,” she said.
Thripunithura Rajanagari Union of Residents Association (TRURA) President VP Prasad said that it was heartening to see the test till SN Junction. “The initial decision was to keep Petta as the terminal station of the Metro. The demand for expansion of it into Thripunithura city by the apex body of residents has been consistently pushed by, among others, E. Sreedharan, the then Principal Advisor to DMRC and KMRL K. The then MD Ilyas George. This was followed by several agitations, after which funds were allocated to extend the Metro up to SN Junction.
Considering the historical importance of the city as the seat of the erstwhile kings of Kochi and the fact that one lakh train passengers converge every month at the Thripunithura railway station, this body is constituted with representatives of the people and others at Thripunithura. persisted to pursue it. Revenue of Rs 1.25 crore every year. As construction works are underway, the state government should sanction funds to build a four-lane road connecting SN Junction with Hill Palace Road, located next to the proposed terminal station. He said that this and a bridge parallel to the SN Junction overbridge would help decongest the city.
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