Kochi Metro's Phase Two Delay: Pink Line Operational Date Pushed to Summer 2027
Kochi, India - The Kochi Metro's phase two corridor, also known as the Pink Line, has faced significant delays in its operational timeline. Despite progress in core structural works over the past weeks, KMRL officials now admit that completing the line within the initial deadline of December is improbable.
Reasons Behind the Delay:
- Unforeseen land-acquisition hiccups caused delays in acquiring land for the Chembumukku and Padamugal stations.
- Procedural delays in pushing paperwork through the city's administrative bodies hindered the project's progress.
"There were delays in acquiring land for the Chembumukku and Padamugal stations. Even when the issues were resolved, the official notifications were caught up in procedural delays and took their own time to reach us. Only on acquiring them could we begin work," said a KMRL official.
Although work has picked up pace, it's not enough to meet the earlier deadline of operationalizing the first five stations by June. The official highlighted that pushing back the deadline was necessary.
Update on Project Status:
- The Pink Line is now 60% complete.
- Over 85% of the piling work is in place, with the remainder at the 55% mark.
- The erection phase of the project is progressing well.
"We are now hoping to finish all civil and electrical work by the end of the year. Operational and safety testing would each require a month or two, which means we are looking at the summer of 2027 for the Pink Line to be up and running," the official added.