1. Home
  2. PM Modi dedicates Kochi Metro to the nation

PM Modi dedicates Kochi Metro to the nation

Agencies
June 17, 2017

Thiruvananthapuram, Jun 17: Kerala shifted tracks to a new phase in urban transport infrastructure on Saturday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicating the first phase of Kochi Metro to the nation.

viewimage

Before the formal opening of the 13.26-km first phase, between Palarivattom and Aluva, the Prime Minister took a ride on one of the trains. Addressing a gathering at the inaugural event’s venue in Kaloor, Modi highlighted features of Kerala’s first metro rail network which made it unique.

Kochi Metro is the first metro project commissioned with Communication-Based Train Controlling Signalling System. The Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) has provided jobs for about 1,000 women and 23 trans-genders. “The project is also an example of environment-friendly development. It plans to meet nearly 25% of the entire energy requirements from renewable sources, particularly solar energy. The long-term plan is to become a zero-carbon emitting urban transit system,” the Prime Minister said.

Modi said 50 cities in the country were ready to implement metro rail projects and foreign investment had been invited to the urban public transport sector. He said the National Transit Oriented Development Policy, issued in April, aimed to create “compact walkable communities” and bring public transport closer to transit.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan acknowledged contributions of migrant labourers in the construction of the Metro and requested KMRL to facilitate a Metro ride for them. Lauding the project coordinators for finishing work on the Metro on schedule, the Chief Minister said Kochi Metro sent out a message to potential investors that development projects could be completed in a time-bound manner in Kerala.

He sought assistance from the Centre to further the state-Centre association to pursue the development agenda while acknowledging the Centre’s “positive” approach to development. In a veiled reference to earlier uncertainties over the Prime Minister’s presence at the event, Vijayan said people who created the controversy were left “disappointed”. Kochi Metro will begin commercial operations on Monday.

Insets

On track

** Construction completed in four years
** Total project cost of Rs 5,181.79 crore
** Rs 2032.91 crore released by GoI
** Total 25.612 km, fully elevated, from Aluva to Petta
** 22 stations; 11 in phase 1
** 13.26 km in phase 1, in 20 minutes
** A train every 10 minutes, fares start at Rs 10
** First-in-India open-loop smart card for buses, taxi-cabs, autos
** 25% of energy requirements from renewable sources
** Covered vertical garden on every sixth pillar
** Water Metro as feeder service planned with 38 jetties

Cheers to Metro man

At the inaugural event attended by senior politicians and bureaucrats, the loudest cheers from the 3,000-odd crowd were reserved for ‘Metro Man’ and Chief Adviser for Kochi Metro, E Sreedharan. The applause, every time his name was mentioned on the dais, was significant after an earlier controversy over his exclusion from the dais. The veteran engineer, however, was characteristically self-effacing in his response. “(the cheers were) Probably because I’m a local,” he told reporters.

Fracas over a "free ride"

The presence of BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan during the Prime Minister’s inaugural Metro journey has come in for some criticism. Rajasekharan was not in the original list of passengers scheduled to travel with Modi, from Palarivattom to Pathadippalam.

The PM was accompanied by Governor P Sathasivam, Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu, Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Secretary Nalini Netto, Urban Development Secretary Rajiv Gauba, E Sreedharan and KMRL Managing Director Elias George. Rajasekharan’s presence was criticised on social media, also because elected representatives were not invited for the ride.

Comments

Shankar
 - 
Sunday, 18 Jun 2017

BJP is trying really hard to make a mark in Kerala. They are using all the PR tricks known to them.

Add new comment

About text formats
  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
July 26,2020

Bengaluru, Jul 26: A year-long probe by Coffee Day Enterprises Ltd (CDEL) has found that its late founder V G Siddhartha routed Rs 2,693 crore out of the company to Mysore Amalgamated Coffee Estates Ltd (MACEL), another privately-owned entity of him.

The MACEL owes Rs 3,535 crore to subsidiaries of Coffee Day Enterprises as of July 31, 2019 of which only Rs 842 crore was accounted.

"Therefore, a sum of Rs 2,693 crore is the incremental outstanding that needs to be addressed," said the report of an investigation headed by Ashok Kumar Malhotra, a retired DIG of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and assisted by law firm Agastya Agastya Legal.

Siddhartha was found dead in early August 2019, and many suspected that he had committed suicide.

Steps are being taken by subsidiaries of CDEL for recovery of dues from MACEL, the company said.

"The board authorised the Chairman to appoint an ex-judge of the Supreme Court or the High Court, or any other person of eminence, to suggest and oversee actions for recovery of the dues from MACEL and to help on any other associated matters," it said in regulatory filings at stock exchanges late on Friday.

The probe further gives clean chits to the Income Tax Department and the private equity firms who Siddhartha in his parting letter had alleged of harassment.

"We have not been provided with any documentary evidence to draw an inference that there may have been any advertent or inadvertent harassment from the Income Tax Department," said the probe report.

The probe also highlighted severe liquidity crunch at CDEL in the build-up to Siddhartha's death.

A committee supported by senior professionals was formed to protect the interest of all stakeholders. CDEL said the debt levels which were about Rs 7,200 crore on March 31, 2019 have been brought down significantly by Rs 4,000 crore. The present debt of the group is around Rs 3,200 crore.

"The disinvestment process in the group continues and we are confident to have effective solution to all stakeholders," it said.

Comments

Add new comment

About text formats
  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
coastaldigest.com news network
June 8,2020

Hubballi, June 8: If everything goes as expected, the railway station in Hubballi, the commercial capital of the state and also the headquarters of South Western Railway (SWR), will have the world’s longest railway platform next year.

E Vijaya, chief public relation officer of SWR, said the work is being done as part of doubling between Hubballi and Bengaluru. 

“At present, Hubballi has five platforms, and the number will be increased to eight. Inspection carriage line is getting converted to full platform. 

Platform No. 1 will be extended from 550m to 1,400m with 10m width. At present, Gorakhpur’s 1,366m platform is the world’s longest facility,” the officer said.

She added that one more entry point is coming up at Gadag Road. “Rs 90 crore is being spent on the works related to full yard, signalling, electrical and building. 

The works, started in November 2019, will be completed in the next one year,” said Vijaya.

Comments

Add new comment

About text formats
  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
August 7,2020

Bengaluru, Aug 7: The Karnataka government would provide Rs 10,000 immediate relief to families affected by heavy rains and flooding in districts across coastal, central and southern areas of the state, an official said on Thursday.

"Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa has directed all the Deputy Commissioners in the rain-cum-flood-hit districts to provide Rs 10,000 interim relief to the affected families and Rs 5 lakh to those whose houses were completely damaged in the natural disaster," a Revenue Department official told media persons here.

As the south-west monsoon advanced and intensified, heavy and widespread rains with gusty winds have been lashing 12 of the 30 districts across the state, wreaking havoc and disrupting normal life due to flooding, landslides, lakes and ponds overflowing, and rivers and their tributaries in the spate.

"The Chief Minister also instructed the officials to make use schools, colleges and public places as relief centres to shelter the rain-cum-flood-hit families, as hostels and community halls have been converted into Covid care centres in the affected districts," said the official.

The affected districts have also been advised to conduct a survey of crop loss suffered by farmers for compensation under the centrally-sponsored Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana and the Weather Based Crop Insurance Schemes.

Deputy Commissioners have been told to take preventive measures to protect and provide relief to the people from heavy rains, floods and landslides in the affected districts.

"Yediyurappa also directed ministers in-charge of the districts to remain in their constituency and visit the affected areas to assess damage caused by the rains and flash floods for compensation and relief aid," noted the official.

The Chief Minister on Wednesday announced Rs 50 crore for rescue and relief operations in the affected districts across the state.

Meanwhile, the Meteorological department has issued a red alert on heavy rains in the affected districts of Kodagu, Udupi, Dakshina Kannada and Uttar Kannada in the coastal region and in Shivamoga, Chikkamagaluru, Hassan and Haveri in the Malnad region.

"Bagamandala in Kodagu district where Cauvery river springs near Talakaveri received a whopping 486 mm rain during the last 24 hours, causing flash floods and disrupting normal life as offices, shops and eateries remained shut and public transport was affected," added the official.

The water-level in Cauvery and Lakshmanatheertha is flowing at high level while the Sayi layout and Kuvempu layout Kushalnagar is inundated and the affected residents were shifted to safer location.

Comments

Add new comment

About text formats
  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.