KOCHI: The ambitious Phase II project of Kochi Metro, which will connect Jawaharlal Nehru (JLN) Stadium to Infopark via Kakkanad, is now expected to be completed by June 2027, over a year and a half later than the previously promised December 2025 commissioning. Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) stated that the official commissioning and final testing of the project will occur in August 2027.
A significant cause of this delay is the state government’s prolonged approval process for securing external funding of Rs 1,116 crore from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
The agency noted, “The financing process required approvals from several agencies, and acquiring the necessary external funding took almost a year and a half.”
Additionally, KMRL encountered issues when its request for Rs 7 crore to reinforce traffic diversion roads was turned down. They also faced considerable utility challenges that called for coordination among multiple agencies and innovative design alterations.
“One particularly challenging area was the Civil Lane corridor between Pipeline Junction and Padamughal, where the Indian Oil Adani Gas Pipeline complicated construction efforts. The relocation of this pipeline commenced on January 1, 2026, allowing for subsequent piling and pier construction to proceed,” the official explained.
Land acquisition issues also plagued the JLN Stadium-Palarivattom section. Land was handed over in phases starting December 2024, with the final parcels only becoming available in March 2026 due to ongoing litigation. This segment also required the complex relocation of essential KWA water mains and high-voltage KSEB lines, involving both 220kV and 11kV networks.
Despite these obstacles, the 10.58-km elevated viaduct project has made significant progress, having been awarded a major civil contract to AFCONS Infrastructure Limited in June 2024, according to a KMRL official.
“Currently, all foundation piling and pile caps for the ten upcoming stations are complete. Furthermore, 85% of the viaduct piling has been finalized, and 3.5 km of the superstructure is ready for track installation. Construction is advancing at a steady pace of 25 to 30 meters per day, a rate expected to increase post-monsoon,” the official added.
KMRL has also finalized contracts for parallel system work involving track installation, power supply, signaling, and telecommunications.
However, ongoing construction activities in the JLN Stadium-Palarivattom stretch have caused significant traffic congestion, allowing only one-lane traffic in both directions.
“Weekly review meetings with all stakeholders are being held to monitor progress and address issues promptly. During the monsoon season, reviews have become more frequent to ensure continual advancement and quick resolution of any field issues,” the official indicated.
D Dhanuraj, Chairperson of the Centre for Public Policy Research, emphasized the need for authorities to finalize the crucial Pink Line without further delays to avoid escalating costs.
