A 10-member expert team of the Japan International Co-operative Agency which has agreed to extend a loan of Rs 2,170 crore for the Kochi Metro Rail project, arrived in the city late on Wednesday.
The team, led by Mitsubishi Research Institute senior consultant Takeshi Fukayama, will be in the city for two days and hold meetings with officials of the Kochi Metro Rail Ltd, on Thursday.
The team will hold discussions regarding planning, evaluation of the detailed project report (DPR), technology updation, procurement and package, implementation and details of loan repayment and also visit the proposed metro sites, according to KMRL officials.
Officials of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation which has been associated with the planning and preparation of the DPR were also expected for some sessions, KMRL officials added.
The estimate for the land acquisition has gone up to Rs 1,110 crore from Rs 672 crore with the increase in land area to be acquired on account of revisions in the alignment and parking space at stations. The total land required would now be 40.41 hectares instead of 31.92 hectares as per the DPR.
The revenue department published notifications for seven stations and three viaducts on the road sides instead of medians.
The stations are at Ambattukavu, Muttom, CUSAT, Changampuzha Park, Elamkulam, Thykoodam and Petta.
Those at Kaloor, Vyttila Hub and South Railway station would be coming up on government land and there would not be much private land acquisition.
The viaducts would be at the Aluva-Pulinchodu corridor, HMT RoB and Madhava Pharmacy corridor near Seematti. Noti-fications for the remaining 13 stations and deviations on NH47 were expected by mid-December.