Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) will develop Nettoor as a major Kochi Water Metro terminal after the state approved the removal of six stations from the network’s original master plan. The revised plan reduces the number of terminals from 38 to 33 and positions Nettoor as an intermediate hub connecting Edakochi, Kumbalam, Thykoodam and Vyttila.
The Nettoor terminal is expected to function as a feeder node for commuters travelling towards the Kakkanad-Infopark IT hub. KMRL’s plan is also intended to provide an alternative route for passengers using the busy NH 66 corridor, where road traffic remains a major constraint. The decision follows the failure to establish an operational hub at Thevara and the upcoming Ernakulam terminal, according to the report.
The six terminals removed from the approved plan are Aster, Amrita, Kothad, Thevara, Cheriyamthuruth and Mulavukad. The original project had received administrative sanction for 38 terminals across 15 routes. A government order cited operational, navigational and administrative constraints as the reasons for revising the detailed project plan.
At Aster, authorities identified insufficient channel width and depth, low clearance under a bridge and the high density of traditional Chinese fishing nets as severe navigational obstacles. The proposed Amrita terminal was dropped because of operational and project-related constraints, while Kothad faced boat manoeuvring difficulties linked to the proposed Chennur-Kothad bridge.
Thevara was removed because the required government land was not available. Cheriyamthuruth was dropped because of upcoming bridge construction, and Mulavukad was removed from the plan because of low expected commuter demand. The reasons indicate that the network revision is not based only on construction priorities but also on whether terminals can be safely operated and generate sufficient ridership.
The state government approved the Nettoor proposal subject to three conditions. KMRL must formally amend the approved detailed project report, and construction of the terminal must not create any additional financial liability for the state exchequer. The work must also remain within land that has already been acquired, without requiring additional coastal regulation zone clearances.
The project will have to comply with inland navigation, safety and engineering standards. These conditions place limits on how the terminal can be redesigned and financed, while requiring KMRL to align the revised proposal with the existing approvals and land position.
Nettoor’s proposed role gives the terminal significance beyond a local station. Its links with Edakochi, Kumbalam, Thykoodam and Vyttila could allow it to operate as an interchange between water-based services and the wider urban transport network. The plan also connects the Water Metro more directly with the employment concentration around Kakkanad and Infopark, although the report does not provide a revised construction timeline, service frequency or ridership estimate for the hub.
KMRL must now amend the approved detailed project report and proceed within the financial, land and regulatory conditions set by the state government. The revised network will comprise 33 terminals across the system.
