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The Kerala government is likely to approve the much-anticipated Thiruvananthapuram Metro rail project soon, with the proposed alignment receiving a green signal from the finance department, sources said. However, the final decision on the route will be taken only after a detailed presentation before Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Once the chief minister gives his nod, the alignment will be presented for cabinet approval, expected by the end of this month. While officials have confirmed that the metro corridor will begin from Kazhakkoottam in the north, the government has yet to disclose the final route. Transport Secretary Biju Prabhakar, who oversees the project, stated that the alignment is under review and will soon be presented to the chief minister. “Once I receive the file, I will examine it and proceed with the presentation. We expect the cabinet’s approval soon after,” Prabhakar told TOI. The state’s 2025-26 budget had already announced that preliminary work on the metro would begin this year. Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL), the implementing agency, has urged the government to finalize the alignment at the earliest. KMRL Managing Director Loknath Behera said the metro’s inclusion in the budget reflects the government’s commitment to the project. The state government had earlier approved the Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) and Alternative Analysis Report (AAR) to secure central funding. The approval of the AAR, including the final alignment, is a key step toward project implementation. KMRL submitted an executive summary of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) to the state government in February 2024, presenting two possible alignments—one via Karyavattom-MG Road-Thampanoor-Killipalam and another along NH 66 through Kazhakkoottam, Akkulam, Enchakkal, and Killipalam. Meanwhile, construction of the Sreekaryam flyover, which is part of the metro project, has already begun, marking a step forward in the city’s transit infrastructure development. |
