Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR), a kochi based research organistion urged Kerala Government and other authorities to publish all the documents including study reports, rationalisation and budget estimates; that lead to the feasibility of such a project in Kochi. In a press statement CPPR explained this would help the public to understand the project in a better way and ensure that tax payers money of Rs 5000 crores (estimated/projected) is spent for the best transport solutions required for a growing city like Cochin. The rationale behind the present route alignment, expected ridership, future expansion plans and expected land use pattern in concurrence with the city shall be known to the general public and investors alike so that they can prepare for the growth of the city.
CPPR believes that these projects shall take the public into confidence as they are the beneficiaries as well as the funders. At the same time, metro rail office should also clarify the plans for feeder systems, bus connectivity and para transit systems at each metro station to mitigate the last and first mile problems. Unless, these are planned in the initial stages itself, CPPR fears that metro will not be a viable venture for a city like Cochin and a burden on general public as tax payers. Metro competing with the existing bus routes will kill the project. Instead, Metro shall start interacting with bus operators and KSRTC regarding the route rationalisation at the earliest so that everything will fall in tandem when the project gets inaugurated. At the same time, accessibility and convenience to the general public by providing better connectivity to the rest of the suburbs and mofusils would be a significant factor for the success of this project. High dense populated areas such as west Kochi and Kakkanadu are not connected by this project in the present alignment so the connectivity of them to the present alignment shall be a crucial question for the success of the project. Metro office shall start working on these plans on a priority basis along with the construction works. The significant shift in the land use pattern of Kochi and future prediction shall be taken into consideration while deciding the metro alignment thus that influencing over the future expansion plans.
Social mobility such as thronging to the malls, jewelleries and textile shops shall be bridged and integrated with metro network otherwise, ridership shall continue as such in the present scenario. Station shall be designed within the transit points like in a mall, mobility hub and in high densed office floor. Kochi metro website shall be updated regularly and should also use social networking websites/medias to interact with the public; CPPR demanded.