Kochi Metro Rail Ltd submits Vytilla Hub facelift proposal

Kochi: The Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) has prepared the conceptual plan on the proposed second phase of Rs 430-crore Vytilla Mobility Hub and submitted the same for approval of the district collector, who is the managing director of the Vytilla Mobility Hub Society. The ten-point suggestions will be discussed in detail at the executive committee meet scheduled on May 4 at Thiruvananthapuram to be chaired by chief secretary Nalini Netto. “The agenda of the meet includes approval of the draft plan submitted by the KMRL and also to determine the amount of loan to be availed from the French development Agency Agence Francaise de Developpement (AFD) to fund the second phase,” a senior official said.

Though it was earlier decided to avail maximum loan from the French agency, the authorities now plan to keep the same to the minimum. “We’ll have to pay higher interest rates due to exchange rate fluctuation,” the official said. Among the ten-point recommendations by the KMRL include provision of pedestrian-friendly connectivity from the metro station to the bus terminal as well as the boat jetty and the rickshaw stand. The hub second phase will be designed in such a way as to accommodate the public and private buses travelling through Vyttila, busiest junction in the state and facilitate their entry and exit of the hub.

“A redesign of Vyttila Junction and area traffic plan is a must to achieve this goal,” the sources said. Another recommendation is the last mile connectivity through creation of a pick-up and drop-off area for cars, rickshaws and taxis. Steps need to be initiated to differentiate the city buses from the inter-district and inter-state buses and to reduce time spent inside the hub and make it more accessible for users. The hub second phase will be developed in an eco-friendly manner. Qualitative open-spaces and green areas, notably through landscaping of the riverfront and the development of a public square should be taken up, the draft plan said.