Thousands throng stations as Kochi Metro begins operations [Photos]

Kochi Metro, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, started its commercial operations on Monday morning.

The trains started to and fro Aluva-Palarivattom from 6 am simultaneously and will finish the day's ride at 10 pm, a Kochi Metro Rail spokesperson said on Sunday. The headway between services would be 8 minutes and there would be 219 trips between 6 am and 10 pm.

Meanwhile, Kochi Metro Rail Corporation organised 'sneha yatra' for 1,550 persons including nearly 450 children with physical and cognitive disabilities from special schools, children from orphanages and inmates from old age homes.

They also organised a special yatra for workers who built the system for the city. Their family members were also invited for the journey. KMRL had honoured hundreds of labourers who worked hard by giving them traditional 'Kerala sadya' (feast), prior to the inauguration.

Kochi Metro Rail Limited is a 50:50 joint venture of central government and government of Kerala. The first phase inaugurated on Saturday operates from Aluva to Palarivattom and covers 13.26 kms and 11 stations.

PM Modi had enjoyed a ride on Kochi Metro on Saturday along with dignitaries, including Governor P Sathasivam, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu and Metro Man E Sreedharan. In his inaugural speech, the Prime Minister had hailed the special features of the Kochi Metro.

Kochi Metro is the first metro project to be commissioned with a modern signalling system called the "communication-based train control signalling system". The coaches reflect the Make in India vision. They have been built by Alstom of France, at their factory near Chennai, and have an Indian component of around seventy per cent.

(With PTI inputs, photo courtesy: Kochi Metro Rail)

• Kochi Metro