From Simple System and Service Design Studio, Srishti, 2017

Reflection- Kochi Metro Station

The Kochi Metro is the fastest metro project in India. With ever-increasing population and in turn traffic on the roads, it is important to have established accountable systems in place for alternative means of transport.

What did you observe about system design?

• Open to audiences from all parts of the world, their signages all over are in Malayalam and English. This in itself makes it a more accessible system for people from all ends.

• There are guiding points in the form of signs on all relevant points in the station- route to and from the entry to the platforms, escalator and elevator usage, emergency entry and exit and digital screens displaying date, time and train schedules. Escalators, like everywhere else are placed parallel to staircases.

• Tickets are issued on paper with QR codes printed on them which on being scanned let you into the platform. Security check is done with a walk through metal detector for people and xray machines for their belongings. Smartly placed adjacent to this space is the Customer Care center catering to all people’s queries and smart card recharges.

• This makes it a self regulating and correcting system because the interaction with ticket collection doesn’t require human aid and the feedback can be recorded for further study.

• Between opposite platforms, there is a yellow border line demarking the two rails and with the voltage warning for people.

• Additionally, there is an Emergency trip switch- push button that may be accessed for immediate help.

What causes this system design to grow and survive? • They get 25% of their power from Solar panels. This is a great initiative for a sustainable design.

• The place is made aesthetically pleasing with natural artworks on the walls- symbolizing nature and trying to portray a sustainable environment.

What emotions did you feel?

• Being a frequent Delhi Metro rider, I didn’t very much understand why they chose to use printed QR codes over tokens. Tokens are reusable and don’t cause waste generation. The disposal of paper tickets each day with increasing popularity of the system would add to waste being generated every day.

What personal decisions are influenced or changed for you as an artist or designer?

• What I liked about their system planning was how they addressed the needs of the differently abled as well. To increase their accessibility within the space, special ticket counters on a lower height have been put up right next to normal ones to make ticket issuing easier for them. There are also blind paths connecting exits with the washrooms and staircases. Additionally, they also have wheelchair facility for those in need.

What would be an ideal situation here? •Ideally, they could ensure that all places in the city are connected with this system so that the last mile factor could be tackled to some extent. Additionally, if they could put more renewable energy into the project (which I understand may not be practical at the moment) would make it a very cheap and effective mode of transportation, not depleting existing limited resources for daily chores.