In a recent report in Times of India on the proposed Phase-III underground metro line to connect Aluva with Angamaly, including a station at Nedumbassery International Airport, D Dhanuraj, Chairman of the Centre for Public Policy Research, shared insights on the project’s implications.

He highlighted the potential of Nedumbassery Airport to become a major hub in Kerala through an expanded railway network.

A halt station at Nedumbassery has been a long-pending proposal. Developing this as a larger railway expansion site would benefit travelers coming from both the northern and southern regions of Kerala to the airport and Kochi city. Integrating land use and a township plan into this development would allow travelers easier access to both Kochi city and the airport. Such a station would also help decongest the city and roads leading to the airport by serving long-distance commuters.

Given the current congestion at the Ernakulam railway stations, Dhanuraj stressed the need for more railway expansion sites, adding that “Nedumbassery could be a prime choice, alongside Vytilla hub.”

Commenting on the proposed Rs. 8000 crore metro plan, he recommended a more balanced approach. “Some of this budget could be used for railway expansion in Nedumbassery to build a larger hub, with integrated land use,” he said.

He also suggested a focus on connectivity between Angamaly, Sabari, and Nedumbassery to link Eastern Kerala to the airport by train, facilitating regional railway development. “If funds are available, they should be used judiciously,” he concluded.

Read the TOI article here.

Views expressed by the author are personal and need not reflect or represent the views of the Centre for Public Policy Research.