Kerala Government Forms High-Level Panel To Finalise Thiruvananthapuram Metro Alignment

The Kerala government has constituted a high-level committee, chaired by the chief secretary, to assess and finalise the alignment for the proposed metro rail project in Thiruvananthapuram, reported The New Indian Express.

The decision was announced following a review meeting led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday (11 June).

The committee comprises senior officials, including secretaries from the revenue, finance, local self-government, and transport departments.

It has been entrusted with evaluating various alignment proposals and presenting its recommendations to the government.

Three key metro corridors are currently under consideration— Kazhakkoottam to Pappanamcode, Kazhakkoottam to Killipalam, and Palayam to the Civil Station.

The Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL)—the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) designated to execute metro rail projects in Kerala had earlier submitted a proposal detailing six possible alignments for the conventional metro system.

The proposal includes a mix of elevated and underground stretches, though authorities have acknowledged that underground construction would significantly increase project costs.

The metro project for Thiruvananthapuram was initially conceptualised over ten years ago but has faced delays under successive state governments.

The original plan, developed by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), suggested a monorail system. This was later revised to a light metro model, for which a revised Detailed Project Report (DPR) was submitted.

Despite multiple attempts to initiate the project, alignment decisions and cost considerations have remained key hurdles.

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