Construction began in 2012, with the first phase being set up at an estimated cost of ₹51.81 billion (US$690 million).[28][29] The Kochi Metro uses 65-metre long Metropolis train sets built and designed by Alstom.[30][31][32] It is the first metro system in India to use a communication-based train control (CBTC) system for signalling and telecommunication.[33] In October 2017, Kochi Metro was named the "Best Urban Mobility Project" in India by the Urban Development Ministry, as part of the Urban Mobility India (UMI) International Conference hosted by the ministry every year.[34]