Time to think of Metro branching
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Now that Kochi Metro Rail has got a nod from the union government, it is time that state pitched for branching out its route, say town planners and architects.
Considering the fact that it took nearly eight years to get the central nod after the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation was assigned to prepare a detailed project report for the project, the state will have to foresee the branching out of the project right now.
There has been growing demand to branch it out to the Kakkanad area where Infopark is located and the much-hyped Smart City is proposed to come up, giving those in that area access to this travel facility.
Besides, one prime area in the city that has been left out is West Kochi which lacks decent transportation facilities.
According to town planners, the proposed Kochi Metro Rail route only connects places which are well connected by MG Road.
This distances people from the upcoming outer areas of the city and government should begin preparations immediately towards this.
“The Metro will do no good if we fail to spread it to other areas of the growing city. Places like Kakkanad, Thrippunithura and West Kochi should also be connected, either by suburban rail or Metro rail as transportation problems are acute there,” says P Raju, former general manager of RITES Urban Transport.
Planners also warn that land acquisition will be difficult for the second phase, once the main project is completed.
“It is better to get central approval and do the acquisition works right now, as it will be really difficult at a later stage. Connecting remote locations to the city has great importance in a city's development,” says Mr S Gopakumar, president of the Better Kochi Response Group (BKRG).
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