RailEnquiry

Kochi: If you are travelling by car through the main junctions in the coming days, don’t be surprised if surveyors approach you seeking details like the starting point of your journey and the destination or whether you would take the Metro and the like.The Kochi Metro Rail Ltd has entrusted an agency Wilbur Smith Associates, to conduct a survey to find out the travelling needs of the public and the areas to which the maximum number of commuters travel. For this, the KMRL has sought the assistance of the Kochi traffic police.“The metro agency has sought our assistance for the ridership survey and we have agreed. Currently, point-to-point survey has begun at major junctions like Vytilla,” said Assistant Commissioner of Police (traffic east) P.P. Shams.Through the exercise, the agency plans to find out whether those using four-wheelers now would shift to Metro. “I was asked whether I would travel by Metro or whether I would use the parking facility and the usual points of my travel.This was when I was waiting at the Vytilla traffic signal. For me, Metro will be a solution to most of our travelling woes and save a good amount that we currently spent on fuel,” said Vinod Kumar K.S. from the city.Another crucial objective of the exercise might be to find out the areas where the Metro is to be extended in the next phase. Besides, there has been an assurance that the Metro will be extended to Tripunithura in the first phase itself. Political leaders have demanded that the Metro be extended to areas like Mulanthuruthy, Cherthala, West Kochi, Kakkanad and Nedumbassery.