Thiruvananthapuram: The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has submitted the detailed project report (DPR) for the Thiruvananthapuram Metro Rail project to Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL), the implementing agency, bringing the project a step closer to reality.KMRL has begun reviewing the report and is carrying out minor corrections before forwarding it to the state govt for approval. MD Loknath Behera said the revised DPR is expected to be submitted to the state govt later this month.“The report is being studied and scrutinized. There are some corrections. We have also sought the local self-govt department’s approval for establishing a multimodal transport hub at Anayara as part of the Metro project. We will submit the DPR to the state govt this month for final approval,” Behera told TOI.The proposed multimodal transport hub at Anayara, near NH 66, is expected to integrate Metro services with other modes of public transport, enabling seamless connectivity for commuters across the capital and its suburbs.Behera clarified that there has been no change in the approved alignment. The first phase will run from Pappanamcode to Enchakkal, passing through Pattom, Govt Medical College, KazhakKoottam, Akkulam and Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. The Metro yard and maintenance depot have been proposed at Kazhakkoottam.The 31-km Phase I corridor, a Rs 8,000-crore project with 27 stations, received in-principle approval from the state govt last year after multiple rounds of technical evaluation. The alignment connects several of the city’s busiest residential, institutional, commercial and IT hubs, including Technopark, the medical college, secretariat, Thampanoor railway station and bus terminal and the international airport.The DPR had undergone another round of revision after the Union govt directed that the project be aligned with the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan for better integration with existing and future transport infrastructure. The submission was also delayed due to the assembly election model code of conduct and technical revisions.The project had earlier faced uncertainty over compliance with population criteria under the National Metro Rail Policy, 2017, following the rejection of Metro proposals from other cities. KMRL maintained that Thiruvananthapuram’s wider metropolitan region, rather than its municipal limits alone, should be considered for eligibility, as the metropolitan population exceeds the prescribed threshold.Once the state govt approves the DPR, it will be forwarded to the Union govt for appraisal and final sanction, paving the way for financial closure and the start of construction. The UDF govt has prioritised the project and it is expected to be completed within 30 months of receiving central govt approval.The Metro is expected to ease traffic congestion on major corridors, improve connectivity between the southern and northern parts of the capital, and provide faster access to employment centres, educational institutions, transport hubs and the airport.
