Small trains will be beautiful in Kochi

KOCHI:  The Kochi Metro train will be smaller compared to the ones running in other metros. The team led by former managing director of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) E Sreedharan has proposed smaller trains with two compartments, which would be 2.8 metre wide.  In other metros, trains are 3 to 3.2 metre  wide. Sreedharan said small trains would be good for a city like Kochi and added that the project would begin within two months and  would be completed in three years. If the project is entrusted with the DMRC, it plans to operate trains which run on Magna technology. “Magna technology is ideal for a city like Kochi as the size of the trains will be smaller. The Magna technology is currently used in two countries - Japan and South Korea. Trains using this technology run faster and  smoother, “ he said. However, the expense and other things would be considered before adopting the technology.  The cost factor will be decided by considering the capital, operational and  maintenance cost. “We hope that the cost will be lesser as trains using Magna technology do not have wheels and are operated using magnetic energy,” Sreedharan said.Moreover, the metro trains will consume only less energy which is beneficial to the city. “The Metro rail will only consume three percentage of the total electricity consumption of Kochi,’’ he added.Noting that the roads in the city are narrow and congested, Sreedharan said that Metro rail was the only system that could be advantageous to the city. “ It takes about one and a half hours to reach the city from Tripunithura, which could be reached in no time if Metro comes,” he said.