KMRL expanding ₹1,000-cr metro rail corridor

The Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) and the Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) are contemplating extending the Kochi Metro to the airport. According to sources, CIAL has already earmarked an area for the Metro station near the T3 international terminal of Cochin airport and has also designed the road from Athani junction to the airport, leaving enough space for Metro pillars. Two alignments are currently under consideration whereby the first one can branch out to the airport at Athani junction, while the main line proceeds from the junction to Angamaly. The other alignment is through the Airport-Angamaly road after the Metro touches the airport from Athani. The decision for sharing the cost, estimated to be ₹50 crore per km for the entire 20-km stretch, has not been taken yet. The Athani junction-airport stretch would come close to 5 km and the civil construction cost alone on the stretch would come to ₹250 crore. A proposal for cost sharing between KMRL and CIAL for constructing the Metro to the airport is a possibility and will depend on the report to be made by the new managing director of KMRL and the decision of the Kerala Government which has majority stake in CIAL.