Kerala's ambitious Thiruvananthapuram Metro Rail Project delayed amid Policy Uncertainty

Thiruvananthapuram, India (Metro Rail Today): The much-awaited decision on the alignment for Thiruvananthapuram Metro Rail Project remains in limbo as the state government continues to deliberate over crucial policy matters. Despite the Kochi Metro Rail Ltd. (KMRL), the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) tasked with implementing metro projects in Kerala, submitting a proposal with six different alignments months ago, the state government has yet to choose the final alignment for the project.

According to official sources, the proposal is currently awaiting clearance from the Finance Department. One of the key points of contention is whether the metro should be constructed underground or as an elevated corridor. A potential route passing through the Secretariat area would block a major arterial road, raising the issue of whether to build the metro underground. On the other hand, the Bakery Junction - Thampanoor alignment is considered ideal for an overhead metro, but this decision is tied to broader policy considerations that have yet to be resolved.

“We need to decide whether the metro will be underground or elevated. Only after these critical decisions are made can we finalize the alignment,” said a government official involved in the process.

Adding to the complexity, there has been significant public demand to reroute the metro via Kazhakootam. However, ongoing work on the NH66 near Pallipuram has made this route impractical, with even the service road proving unsuitable. As such, authorities are now searching for alternate alignments. Once the Finance Department clears the project, a meeting at the Chief Minister level will be convened to finalize the route.

KMRL Managing Director, Loknath Behera, reassured that the government would make a decision soon. "We have submitted the proposal and are awaiting the final decision on the alignment so we can begin the next phase of the project," he stated.

The Thiruvananthapuram metro project has been in the pipeline for over a decade, but political changes and shifting priorities have delayed its realization. Originally, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (DMRC) proposed a monorail for the city, which later evolved into a light metro plan. In February 2021, the Kerala Rapid Transit Corporation Ltd. (KRTL) submitted a revised Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the light metro, but the state government eventually entrusted KMRL with the project, opting for a conventional metro instead.

The Trivandrum Chamber of Commerce and Industries (TCCI) has voiced strong criticism of the government's indecision, expressing frustration over the lack of transparency and delay in finalizing the alignments.