Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) will kick off construction for the Phase II (Pink Line) project on September 7, starting with the viaduct and CEZ Metro station. Industry Minister P Rajeeve will inaugurate the project at 2 p.m. at the proposed CEZ Metro station, with MP Hibi Eden and MLA Uma Thomas also in attendance.
Afcons Infrastructure Ltd, awarded the Rs 19.57 billion contract for Phase II, will begin piling works for the 11.2 km viaduct, which is set to cost Rs 11.41 billion and take 20 months to complete. If on schedule, Kochi Metro could become India’s fastest metro construction agency, with Phase II expected to finish in two years. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has approved Rs 9.14 billion in funding, with KMRL planning to finalize the contract in October.
Preliminary work, including soil tests, test pilings, and a topography survey, has been completed along the route from JLN Stadium to Infopark. New stations will be built at Palarivattom Junction, Palarivattom Bypass, Chembumukku, Vazhakkala, Padamughal, Kakkanad Junction, Cochin SEZ, Chittethukara, KINFRA, and Infopark. KMRL aims to finish system and signaling work within four months of completing the viaduct. A meeting to discuss alternative routes to minimize traffic congestion during construction is still pending.
