Kochi Metro Phase II further delayed: Commissioning pushed to Aug 2027

Kochi: Promised to be commissioned in Dec 2025, the ambitious Phase II project of Kochi Metro, connecting Jawaharlal Nehru (JLN) Stadium to Infopark via Kakkanad, will be delayed by over one-and-a-half years. Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) officially said it aims to complete civil works by June 2027, with final testing, system integration and official commissioning rescheduled for Aug 2027.A main reason for the delay in getting state govt’s approval for availing external funding to the tune of Rs 1,116 crore from AIIB (Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank).“…the project financing process involved approvals from multiple agencies, and the sanction of external funding required for implementation took nearly one and a half years to materialise,” the agency said in a statement.Furthermore, KMRL faced a roadblock when its proposal for Rs 7 crore to strengthen side roads used for traffic diversions was denied dedicated funding. It also faced severe utility hurdles that required multi-agency coordination and innovative design modifications.“One of the most challenging stretches was the Civil Lane corridor between Pipeline Junction and Padamughal, where the presence of Indian Oil Adani Gas Pipeline impacted construction activities. Following its relocation by the agency concerned on Jan 1, 2026, piling and pier construction activities were taken up and completed,” it said.Land acquisition also proved to be a major hurdle in JLN Stadium-Palarivattom stretch. Portions of required land were handed over in stages starting Dec 2024, with the final parcels cleared only in March 2026 due to ongoing court proceedings. This section also required the elaborate relocation of critical KWA water mains and KSEB high-voltage lines, including 220kV and 11kV networks.Despite the hurdles, the 10.58-km elevated viaduct project achieved substantial physical progress within two years of awarding the major civil contract to AFCONS Infrastructure Limited in June 2024, a KMRL official said.“Currently, all foundation piling and pile cap works for the 10 upcoming stations are complete. Additionally, 85% of viaduct piling is finished, and 3.5km of the superstructure is ready for track laying. Construction is moving at a steady pace of 25m to 30m per day, a rate expected to accelerate after the monsoon season,” the official said.KMRL also finalized parallel system contracts for track work, power supply, signalling and telecommunications.Meanwhile, ongoing construction works in JLN Stadium-Palarivattom stretch resulted in severe traffic jams, with only one-lane traffic possible in both directions.“Weekly review meetings involving all concerned stakeholders are being conducted to assess progress and resolve issues on priority. During the monsoon period, reviews are being undertaken even more frequently to ensure uninterrupted progress and prompt rectification of field-level issues,” the official said.“The authorities should promptly complete the crucial Pink Line, without any further delays as the same will lead to cost escalation,” said D Dhanuraj, Chairperson, Centre for Public Policy Research, a city-based social policy think tank.