Kochi Metro submits DPR for Phase 3, direct airport link planned

Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) has submitted the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for Phase 3 of the Kochi Metro to the Kerala state government, proposing a 17.5-km corridor connecting Aluva to Angamaly via Kariyad along NH44, with direct connectivity to Cochin International Airport at Nedumbassery.

Once cleared by the state government, the DPR will be sent to the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs for final approval. Preparation of the report began in February 2026 and was carried out by Haryana-based consultancy Systra MVA Consulting India Private Limited.

The airport link is the standout feature of the proposed corridor, which will include a 3-km underground stretch leading to the airport and a station near the Airport Railway Station for multimodal connectivity between road, rail and air travel. From there, the line will run as an elevated viaduct along NH44 towards Angamaly.

The DPR proposes 15 stations, including Thottakkattukara, Nedumbassery, Athani, Kariyad, Airport Railway Station, Airport, Nayathode and Angamaly Town, among others. Notably, a long-standing demand to extend the line to Angamaly Railway Station has not been included, as officials found it would require the alignment to loop back toward NH544, pushing up land acquisition costs near the airport.

The submission follows the completion of Kochi Metro’s Phase 2 route between Kaloor and Infopark, expected within a year. The network has completed four years of operations, posting an operating profit of ₹53 crore in 2025–26 with daily ridership around 1.25 lakh passengers.