KMRL to announce metro rail model in Thiruvananthapuram

Kochi Metro Rail (KMRL), the implementing agency of the proposed metro project in Thiruvananthapuram, is likely to announce the metro model if it’s a medium or light metro within a month. Sources close to the KMRL said the ongoing study for the Alternative Analysis Report (AAR) will give clarity on which kind of Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) is suitable for Thiruvananthapuram.A stakeholders’ meeting led by General Education Minister V Sivankutty was held in the capital to discuss the draft Comprehensive Mobility Report (CMP) prepared by UMTC (Urban Mass Transit Company). The meeting also observed that the traffic system in the city needs an overhaul with the introduction of a new metro system in the district.AAR shall be submitted within a month, and this report will suggest what kind of MRTS would be suitable for Thiruvananthapuram. It includes the proposed metro rail project here. Already the CMP has identified the MRTS corridor. It will also be discussed in the next follow-up meetings to be scheduled in the coming days.As per the CMP report, the city needs a comprehensive overhaul of the traffic system and parking facilities. The report also identified high-demand mobility corridors in the district for the proposed system. The first corridor for MRTS is 27.4km long, spanning from Technocity (Pallipuram) to Pallichal via Karamana and Nemom. The next corridor is from Kazhakootam to Killippalam via Enchakkal, which is 14.7km long.This will cater to the transportation needs of commuters who rely on the NH66 bypass. The other extension corridors in Phase II are from Pallichal to Neyattinkara (11.1km), Technocity to Mangalapuram (3.7km) and Enchakkal to Vizhinjam (14.7km).