New Delhi:
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will lay the foundation stone of the Kochi Metro Rail project on Thursday, kickstarting the much-awaited project.
The Rs 5181.79 crore project, covering a length of 25.612 kms, is being funded jointly by the Centre and Kerala government and is targeted to be completed in four years.
To be executed by Special Purpose Vehicle mode, the Metro rail will be fully elevated and run from Alwaye to Petta.
In the total project cost, the Centre's share will be Rs 1002.23 crore and Kerala government's share will be Rs l,772.23 crore.
Singh, during his two-day visit from Wednesday, will also inaugurate Emerging Kerala Investors Meet, sources said.
The Prime Minister will also visit Kerala Kalamandalam Deemed University for Art and Culture at Thrissur district on September 12 to inaugurate South Indian Performing Arts Museum.
The museum has been built over 40,000 sq ft as per traditional Kerala architecture at a cost of Rs eight crore.
Singh would be the fourth Prime Minister to visit the Kerala Kalamandalam, the others being -- Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and V P Singh.
He will also attend the golden jubilee function of Kerala Union of Journalists.