Title - Plan to bring rail link to Vyttila hub

KOCHI: In a bid to improve linkages between various modes of transport, the state government, on Thursday, asked the Vyttila Mobility Hub Society (VMHS) to submit a plan to link the bus terminal with the main lines of Southern Railway.At the general body meeting, chief minister Oommen Chandy directed the VMHS to prepare a detailed project report indicating location of new stations and the point from where the railway line can be extended to the hub."The state government will also present the proposal to the railway ministry and other agencies involved in the project," said M Beena, VMHS managing director.The society is already involved in drafting an international design for the second phase development of mobility hub. The design will come up with ways to integrate the proposed Kochi metro rail with the hub. The Kerala State Inland Navigation Corporation is already conducting a feasibility study on a proposal to link water transport to the mobility hub.Earlier, the district collector had stated that the hub would have a station for the high-speed rail corridor connecting Thiruvananthapuram and Kasaragod.Beena said the society was asked to utilize project funds for land acquisition procedures to widen the exit path from the hub, for which Rs 12 crore is required.The government has decided to release Rs 5 crore allocated for the hub in the budget.

"The society requires Rs 52 crore to carry out development activities in the next three years," she said.

The VMHS will touch base with KSRTC to identify bus routes and finalize the number of buses that would operate as circular services.

Meanwhile, the government is now planning to convene a high-level meeting to decide on the proposed flyover at Vyttila.Kochi: The state government has asked Vyttila Mobility Hub Society (VMHS) to submit a proposal to link the bus terminal with the main lines of Southern railway. At the general body meeting convened by chief minister Oommen Chandy on Thursday, the society was directed to prepare a detailed project indicating location of new stations and also the point from where the railway line should be extended to the hub.

Speaking to TOI, VMHS managing director, M Beena said, "The state government will present the proposal before railway ministry and other agencies concerned."

VMHS is already involved in drafting an international design for the second phase developments to integrate Kochi metro project. A proposal to assimilate water transport with the hub is also active and the KSINC is conducting a feasibility study. Earlier, the district collector had stated that the hub would have a station for the high-speed rail corridor connecting Thiruvananthapuram and Kasargode.

Beena said that the society was asked to utilise project funds for land acquisition procedures to widen the exit path from the hub, for which Rs 12 crore is required. The government has decided to release Rs 5 crore allocated for the hub in the budget. "The society requires Rs 52 crore to carry out development activities in the next three years," she said.

The VMHS will associate with KSRTC to identify bus routes and also finalise the number of buses that would operate as circular services, Beena said. She also informed that the government would convene a high-level meeting to decide on the proposed flyover at Vyttila.