Kochi Metro first phase to be ready by April next

Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Wednesday informed the state assembly that the first phase of the Rs 5181.79 crore Kochi Metro is expected to be ready by April next year.

The work on the project is progressing well and the first leg of the project from Aluva to Maharaja's College, covering 16 stations, was expected to be ready by April next year, he said.

Replying to a calling attention on the necessity for the timely commissioning of Kochi Metro Rail project, Vijayan said civl work including construction of stations in the first reach would be completed by January 2017.

The Chief Minister also said the land acquisition process for the second phase upto Petha from Maharaja's College ground was progressing.

Kochi Metro once completed would become Asia's most modern Metro system, Vijayan added.

The foundation stone for the project was laid in September 2012 by the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.