Centre unaware of Kochi Metro Phase III plans? Lok Sabha query sparks confusion

Kochi: A reply on the Kochi Metro project furnished during the ongoing Lok Sabha session on January 29 has triggered confusion regarding the future of the Phase III extension, making it appear as though the multi-crore project exists only for the state government and Kochi Metro Rail Limited and not for the central government. The query was raised by Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden, who demanded clarity on the proposed 17.5-km corridor that is set to connect Aluva to Angamaly via the international airport.

To pin down the government's progress, Hibi Eden submitted three direct questions: whether the finalisation of the selection of routes for the third and fourth phases had been completed; whether a funding model had been established for these phases; and whether any proposals from the State Government of Kerala related to these phases were currently pending.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs' (MoHUA) written response to Eden's three questions was strikingly direct and has since become the centre of the confusion. In a single, sweeping answer to all three questions, Minister of State, Tokhan Sahu, stated, "No. This Ministry has not received any proposal for the third and fourth phases of Kochi Metro from the state government of Kerala." For a project that has been a staple of local headlines for months, the statement sounded less like an update and more like a total dismissal.

What makes this "no proposal" stance so puzzling is that it seems to ignore the very work the central government is currently funding. On the ground in Kochi, the project is far from a ghost. Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) is currently overseeing a ₹1.3-crore contract awarded to Systra MVA Consulting to prepare the Detailed Project Report (DPR). This study was explicitly launched after MoHUA's own Urban Transport Division granted in-principle approval for Central Financial Assistance (CFA) to cover the costs of the DPR study.

The resulting confusion presents a scenario in which the centre is footing the bill for the blueprints of a 17.5-km line that it officially claims has never been proposed to it. Eden said that the ministry's refusal to even acknowledge the ongoing study it funds makes the project's future uncertain.

"The answer from the minister was confusing, and it raises concerns about further delay of Phase III. The progress of the Kochi Metro expansion is slow. The first phase was operational in 2017, and the second phase is still in progress. Phase III could be carried out in parallel to Phase II, as they are not connected," Eden told Onmanorama.

Meanwhile, KMRL sources were quick to clarify that while the minister's answer has caused a stir, it is rooted in a rigid administrative technicality rather than actual ignorance of the project. According to KMRL officials, in the strict world of parliamentary procedure, a project is not legally classified as a "proposal" until a finalised DPR is approved by the state cabinet and formally submitted to New Delhi for sanctioning.

"Because the current DPR study is still in progress, with a completion deadline of April 2026, the official document simply hasn't reached the minister's desk yet. Until that formal handover happens, the ministry's records will technically continue to show "no proposal received", even as their own departments are aware of the progress of the study, since they only provided the financial aid of the DPR. So the minister's answer to the MP doesn't mean the centre is not at all aware of the Phase III plans," said KMRL sources.

Despite the technical explanation, the phrasing used in the Lok Sabha has drawn criticism for creating unnecessary doubt about a project vital to the region's growth. The Phase III extension is no minor undertaking, as it is a game-changer that includes a 17.5-km stretch with approximately 15 stations, including the underground section designed specifically to navigate the Nedumbassery airport zone.