Uncertainty continues to surround the submission of the detailed project report (DPR) for the proposed Thiruvananthapuram Metro, as key technical concerns, particularly those linked to population benchmarks, remain unresolved between Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and Kochi Metro Rail Limited, Times of India has reported.
Officials from the implementing agency, KMRL, believe that the current population criteria used to assess metro feasibility are outdated and fail to capture the city's evolving urban footprint.
Managing Director Loknath Behera said the issue would be addressed through expert consultations before the DPR is finalised and submitted.
"The population criterion is old and needs to be corrected. Some agencies have undertaken similar revisions elsewhere. Once these corrections are made, DMRC will submit the report to KMRL and we will submit it to the govt. We will also discuss with the Union govt to resolve this technical issue," Behera was quoted as saying by TOI.
Population density and projected ridership are central to securing approvals, making any reliance on outdated data a potential hurdle. Sources indicate that route alignment is also being reconsidered.
A longer corridor linking Neyyattinkara and Attingal is being explored to better meet population thresholds. "If the alignment is extended, the population benchmarks may be better satisfied, improving the project's overall feasibility," a source was quoted as saying.
The issue gains importance in light of recent decisions affecting metro proposals in Coimbatore and Madurai, where DPRs were returned over similar compliance concerns.
Currently, Thiruvananthapuram's population falls short of standard metro criteria, although the wider metropolitan region presents a more favourable case. The originally approved 31km alignment from Kazhakkoottam to Pappanamcode remains under review.
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