Title - Kochi : Acquisition of land for Kochi metro gathers pace

Land acquisition for the Kochi metro rail project has picked up pace after an initial lull.

The project requires approximately 40.4 hectares of land, while more land will be acquired for metro villages adjacent to the proposed coach maintenance yard at Muttom, near Aluva, and at Kakkanad.

The Revenue Department has constituted three teams of surveyors for speeding up the land acquisition process. District Collector P.I. Sheikh Pareed, a member of the Kochi metro’s director board, has asked them to hasten the process.

Priority has been given to acquire land for the metro stations, to widen narrow portions of the Edapally-Aluva stretch of NH 47, and to construct viaducts to be located away from the road median at a few places.

A Section 4(1) notification would be issued by December end to acquire land in places where it has not been done, sources associated with the project said. A district-level purchase committee will then fix the value of land and a State-level empowered committee will vet the rates.

“Land for the Muttom yard, seven stations and three viaducts located away from the median have been notified. Steps are being taken to simultaneously notify the land required for 13 more stations, five viaducts located away from the median, and the metro village at Muttom,” sources said. February has been fixed as the revised deadline for possession of all land necessary for the metro.