Kochi Metro sees decline in passengers; likely to affect second phase?

Kochi: The management of Kochi's metro stations is in uncertainty due to a lack of passengers. Less than 600 people enter the metro each day from the four stations between Aluva and Kalamassery, according to the RTI document. The second phase of the Kochi Metro is in trouble as a result of the decline in passengers.

The number of passengers using the station after Aluva, Pulinchodu, is 554 on average per day. When they get to the following station, Companypady, the number of people will start to decline once more. From there, as many as 529 people are boarding the train. With only 306 persons every day, Ambattukkavu has the fewest passengers in the Kochi Metro. 574 passengers board the metro each day from Muttom. 10,800 people ride from Edapally on a daily average.

Ernakulam South, Town hall, and Maharajas are the stations from where the majority of the passengers board. RTI statistics show that 63,000 people use the Metro on a daily basis. Three and a half lakh passengers per day were anticipated when the first phase of the metro's development got underway.

Kochi Metro’s Phase 2 project with one new 11.2 km Pink Line and 11 stations was approved by the Kerala Government in July 2018 with an estimated cost of Rs 2,310 crore.

This phase includes the construction of a spur line from Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium to Infopark II in Kakkanad. This phase’s detailed project report (DPR) was approved by the Central Government’s Cabinet in September 2022 with an estimated cost of Rs. Rs.1,957.05 crore.