Kochi, Sep 3 (TIWN) Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday inaugurated the third stretch of the Kochi Metro, more than two years after Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened the first one.

The chief guest of the function was Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, who travelled with Vijayan on the new route.  The newly-inaugurated five-kilometre stretch, which extends from Maharaja's Junction to Thykoodam bridge, takes the total distance covered by the Kochi Metro so far to around 24 kms. Its remaining one kilometre stretch, in the first phase, is expected to be complete by January next year.  Once the remaining stretch is opened, the Kochi Metro will cover a distance of 25-kms from Palarivattom to Aluva reducing travel time by at least an hour or two.  Work on the Kochi Metro began in 2012 and being overseen by E.Sreedharan, who also helmed the Delhi Metro project.