KOCHI: As it steps into its eighth year of operations, which falls on Tuesday, the Kochi Metro has grown beyond a mere urban transit system to become a prominent symbol of modern infrastructure and development in Kerala and the nation.
Spearheaded by Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL), the metro system — alongside India’s first-ever water metro — has positioned Kochi as a model city in sustainable urban mobility.
After successfully implementing metro systems in Kochi, KMRL is now working towards extending similar services to Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode. Additionally, a feasibility study is currently underway to introduce water metro services in 21 locations across India, based on the successful Kochi model.
Metro eyeing record ridership this year
The Kochi Metro eyes a record total ridership of 3.65 crore this year, up from the 3.5 crore (which is the total population of Kerala). The ridership has been witnessing a continuous rise with over one lakh passengers on weekdays.
When the services began in 2017–18, annual ridership stood at 1 crore (1,00,71,036), growing to nearly 2.5 crore (2,48,81,600) by 2022–23. Now, the total ridership (since beginning operations) is expected to cross the 13 crore mark by the end of this year.
“The Kochi Metro became the first Indian metro service to record an operational profit in a short span, reporting an operating surplus of D22.5 crore in the 2023-24 financial year. The operating profit is expected to grow further in the 2024–25 as well,” a metro spokesperson said. A significant portion of Kochi Metro’s ridership comprises young commuters. “Its modern amenities have made it especially appealing to the youth,” the official said.
KMRL is also exploring new transit solutions, including a proposed elevated tramway from the High Court to Thevara. Meanwhile, construction on the Palarivattom-Kakkanad-Infopark corridor — part of Phase II — is progressing steadily, and preliminary work for a detailed project report (DPR) for the proposed Aluva–Angamaly stretch under Phase III has begun.
With an aim to enhance first-mile and last-mile connectivity, 15 feeder buses have been added to extend metro accessibility across various city centres. The launch of electric feeder services between Vyttila, Tripunithura, and Infopark has opened up the potential for circular metro travel within the city.
