During his visit to Kerala, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for Kochi Metro Phase 2 and several other projects worth over Rs 4,500 crore on September 1. Governor Arif Muhammed Khan and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also attended the event in Kerala. The Prime Minister also inaugurated a 27-kilometer double line of Indian Railways connecting the Kuruppanthara-Kottayam-Chingavanam sections.
The project’s completion cost Rs 750 crore. The PM also launched special train services between Kottayam and Ernakulam, as well as dedicated to the nation the newly electrified section between Kollam and Punalur, which was completed at a cost of Rs 76 crore and will boost eco-tourism while also serving as a faster and more cost-effective mode of transportation through the scenic route.
Among the railway development projects for Kerala, Modi laid the groundwork for three station redevelopment projects worth an estimated Rs 1,950 crore. Along with the Kochi Metro Phase II project, PM inaugurated Phase 1A, the first stretch from SN Junction to Vadakkekotta. Prime Minister said in a statement, “In the last eight years, the Central Government has continuously worked to make the metro rail the most prominent mode of urban transport.”
Kochi Metro Rail Project
According to a PMO statement, the proposed Phase II corridor of the Kochi Metro Rail Project is aimed at catering to the city’s growing transportation needs and is planned in such a way that it connects the city’s District Headquarters, Special Economic Zone, and IT Hub with the existing metro rail network.
When finished, the combined Phase I and Phase II metro network will connect the city’s major residential and commercial hubs with major transit hubs such as railway stations and bus stops, reinforcing the concept of multi-modal integration and last-mile connectivity.
Railway Projects
PM Modi dedicated the Kuruppanthara-Kottayam-Chingavanam rail section, which was completed at a cost of nearly Rs 750 crore. The entire stretch from Thiruvananthapuram to Mangaluru has now been doubled, promising faster and more seamless connectivity. Significantly, thousands of devotees travelling to Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa Shrine can conveniently alight at Kottayam or Chengannur railway stations in the doubled section and continue by road to Pamba.
