Afcons Infrastructure has clinched the contract worth ₹1,141 crore to construct the 11.20-km viaduct for Kochi metro’s Kakkanad extension, referred to as the Pink Line. Following the firm’s successful bid as the lowest and sole technically qualified bidder during the tender opening in March, Afcons will oversee the expansion from JLN Stadium to Infopark in Kakkanad. This phase of the metro extension, estimated at ₹1,957 crore, has faced delays primarily due to awaiting approval from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), which is providing a soft loan for the project.
The viaduct, designed to accommodate two tracks and featuring 10 stations, is slated for completion within 600 days. Subsequent work will focus on installing rail systems, telecommunications, signals, and other necessary infrastructure, expected to be completed within an additional six months. The construction plan also includes building entry/exit points for each station, with contracts for these elements set to be awarded in the near future.
To optimize costs and ensure timely completion, Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) has opted for smaller station designs compared to those on the existing 27-km Aluva-Pettah Blue Line, where substantial commercial space remains unoccupied. The planned stations along the Pink Line include Palarivattom, Alinchuvadu, Chembumukku, Vazhakkala, Padamukal, Collectorate Junction, Cochin Special Economic Zone, Chittethukara, Kinfra, and Infopark.
Metro authorities are set to announce the project timeline, from initial test-piling to the viaduct’s commissioning, on June 28. KMRL has also indicated that Afcons Infrastructure may receive incentives for completing the project ahead of schedule. As part of the construction, specialized 60-meter-long open-web steel structures, similar to those near S.N. Junction at Thripunithura, will be installed where the viaduct crosses the national highway bypass at Palarivattom and in front of St. Martin’s Church, marking key turns in the metro’s route towards Palarivattom.
