Even before it was inaugurated, Kochi metro was winning hearts with this:
And to be honest, now that we know of some of its salient features, we are more than excited. From green initiative to an inclusive workforce, Kochi metro is paving the way, literally.
This environmental friendly metro will be India’s first to extensively use solar panels. On the 25-km full stretch of the rail line, as many as 22 stations on the final will have solar panels. 25 percent of the Kochi Metro’s electricity needs would be met by solar power.
If you think that is pretty impressive, then you’d be sweetly surprised that this metro network will use compost generated from municipal waste to fertilise the vertical garden it plans to maintain on some of its pillars.
The rail network will be the country’s first government agency to hire transgender people; 23 are expected to be on duty for the inaugural run. Apart from being an equal opportunity employer, it is also the first in India to have a workforce that comprises 80% women.
Women will also be seen behind the Metro wheel. Of the 39 loco-pilots employed, 7 are women.
Also, this project will be deploying members of Kudumbashree, a women empowerment-oriented, community-based self-help group.
Each station will showcase a theme, such as maritime history, western ghats as well as the local history of the city, among others.
The Kochi Metro Rail is also the first in the country to use the communication-based train control system (CBTC). The state-of-the-art technology paves the way for driver less trains in the future.
Of course, Twitter is excited.
PS: It has been commissioned in a record time of 45 months as compared to other metro services in the country.
This is called moving in the right direction.