Thiruvananthapuram: The possibility of a medium metro rail modeled on the Kochi metro might become a reality in the state capital soon. Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) has handed over the responsibility of preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR) to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). 

The Thiruvananthapuram metro rail project will be managed by KMRL. With this move, the metro rail project that has been in the talks for more than a decade is inching closer towards reality. 

KMRL will submit the DPR to the government in January, reports say. Construction will begin as soon as the state and the centre approve the DPR. Before preparing the blueprint of the metro project, KMRL presented Thiruvananthapuram’s comprehensive mobility plan (CMP)  in July.

However, this plan did not specify what kind of metro would be implemented here. It was only after conducting an alternate transport analysis study that it was estimated that a medium metro similar to Kochi would be suitable for the capital city as well. The final report of CMP will also be submitted to the government along with the DPR. 

Thiruvananthapuram metro rail project was conceived in 2012. In 2014, the first outline of the project was submitted by DMRC. As per this plan, the first phase would run from Pallipuram to Kaimanam and the second phase from Kaimanam to Neyyattinkara. The estimated cost was Rs 4219 crore. Later, the management of the project was handed over to KMRL.