Urban News

The proposed road network development plan in the Kochi master plan includes flyovers, ROBs and bridges across the waters.

Peak hour traffic is rapidly growing and by 2025 road-based public transport will not be able to meet this demand. “There is an urgent need to introduce a light metro system in the city to provide fast, economic and environment- friendly mode for mass movement. The carrying capacity of light metro system is up to 25,000 phpdt which will be adequate to take care of the traffic problems for greater Kochi area for the next 25 years,” says the master plan. But the proposed metro rail project is not without its share of flaws. One major drawback is that the proposed metro line does not interface with water transport at any point. “Kochi is a city with three national waterways and an extensive network of water transport systems. Even the living pattern and culture of the people are dependent on water. What is the relevance of public transport if it is not related to the living realities of the vast majority of people?” asks Kochi Corporation Town Planning Committee chairman K J Sohan.

The metro rail project also requires acres of private land adjacent to major city roads, which means many multi-storeyed buildings and complexes will have to be demolished. The existing layout of pipelines, cables and sewerage lines will also need alteration. “Delhi metro stations have acres of parking space with good access to roads and linkages.

People can easily reach the station, park their vehicles and use the metro. The proposed Kochi metro has very limited parking space available,” says Sohan.