Thiruvananthapuram: Upcoming flyover hurdle to metro
Plan to divert light metro via Technopark.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The upcoming flyover from Technopark to Kazhakootam would be a major hurdle for the state governments plan to divert light metro via Technopark. Earlier, NATPAC had ruled out routing light metro via Techno-park Campus citing cost escalation and also to minimise the land acquisition cost. As per the current alignment, from Kazhak-ootam Junction the light metro turns towards Kari-yavattom towards Pangap-ara and Sreekaryam.
According to experts, this plan would delay the light metro project further and the ongoing flyover project would also suffer. It is learnt that the diversion via Technopark would add two more additional kilometre causing cost escalation. However, the authorities are going to study the feasibility of diverting the route via inside the Technopark campus to minimise land acquisition.
An official of NATPAC said that the flyover would be a major hurdle for the plan. “We are yet to get the official communication from the government or KRTL to carry out the study. A lot of things have changed since we carried out the study for the light metro project, which was done almost 8 years ago. It would take a minimum of three months to finish the study,” said an official of NATPAC. The flyover will start from Kazhakootam police station and end near Technopark phase I campus.
According to sources, it will not be an easy task for the government to get the approvals from the Centre this time. “NHAI has kick-ed off the flyover work. The new plan would halt the flyover project. Also, the government will have to get the clearance from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways,” said a source.
“Kochi metro became a reality because the political climate was favourable at the time. Now, this wou-ld only delay the project further. The most practical way is to provide feeder se-rvices to Technopark whi-ch would save cost and time,” the source added.
It is learnt that the estimated cost of the projects has gone up following the revisions made in the DPR. The light metro projects at Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram is to cost around Rs 4000 crore.