Kochi Metro Phase-II: Consultant Selected, Civil Work To Start After Onam

A consortium of SYSTRA and SYSTRA MVA Consulting India Private Limited has been chosen as the General Consultant (GC) for the second phase of the Kochi metro rail project.

The second phase of the metro comprises a 11.2-km elevated line from the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium metro station to Infopark via Kakkanad, with 11 stations en-route.

Notably, the SYSTRA S A — SYSTRA MVA Consulting had emerged as the preferred bidder among eight bidders in March 2023, but the tender was scrapped as SYSTRA’s bid was significantly higher — by 59 per cent — than the original estimate, as reported by the MetroRailGuy.

Subsequently, the Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) re-invited bids for Phase-II GC contract, following which five firms submitted their bids.

The GC will evaluate the proposals submitted by the design consultant and contractors. Additionally, the consortium will oversee the construction works of the second phase of Kochi metro and will have the responsibility to ensure quality and safety standards in construction works.

Kochi Metro

Further, the Kochi Metro Rail Limited is executing all by itself, two extensions of the first phase of the metro project.

The first extension of 1.8 km from Pettah to S N Junction was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on 1 September, 2022. The project was implemented as a state sector project.

Kochi Metro Phase 1B project of 1.20 km from S N Junction to Thripunithura Terminal is under construction as a state sector project and is expected to get completed by September-end.

Phase -II

Prime Minister Modi laid the foundation stone of Phase-II Kochi Metro Rail project, from JLN stadium to Infopark via Kakkanad on 1 September, 2022.

A Union Cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister on 7 September 2022 had approved Phase-II of the Kochi metro rail at a cost of Rs 1,957.05 crore.

For Phase-II, the Union and Kerala governments would each provide 16.23 per cent of the total cost or Rs 274.90 crore each, while 60 per cent of the amount would be in the form of a loan from bilateral or multilateral agencies.

Currently, the preparatory works for Phase-II is underway and the civil works are expected to begin before the Onam festival.