Kochi’s metro-linked electric autorickshaw network has suffered a major breakdown, with 80 vehicles reportedly lying idle for around one-and-a-half years after their batteries failed, while a promised government subsidy of Rs 30,000 per vehicle remains unpaid. The vehicles were introduced for last-mile connectivity around Kochi Metro stations by Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) and the Kochi Corporation.
According to a report by Malayala Manorama, KMRL purchased 75 electric autorickshaws and the corporation purchased another 30. Only 25 of the combined fleet are currently operating, leaving 80 vehicles unused. The non-operational autos are reportedly parked at different locations across the city and are deteriorating.
The vehicles were handed over to the Ernakulam District Auto Drivers Cooperative Society for operation. The society, which includes multiple trade unions, was responsible for providing drivers and paying a fixed rent to KMRL. Fares were controlled by KMRL, and drivers were required to charge only the rates fixed by the metro agency.
The fare restrictions had made the service less attractive to drivers from the beginning, according to the report. The cooperative society also spent Rs 9 lakh on operating the vehicles. It has reportedly been seeking the subsidy since 2023 and submitted representations to the Chief Minister and the Transport Minister, but no decision had been taken by the time of publication.
The subsidy was announced at Rs 30,000 for each autorickshaw. The cooperative society said the failure to receive the money contributed to heavy financial losses after most of the vehicles stopped operating. Drivers have also said that once the battery fails, the vehicle effectively becomes unusable unless the costly battery-related problem is addressed.
The breakdown has now created an administrative issue for the agencies that own or manage the vehicles. Notices have reportedly started being issued to remove the autos from locations where they have been parked. KMRL issued a notice concerning electric autorickshaws kept at the parking ground of Kaloor Metro station.
The episode affects more than the fate of a small fleet. The vehicles were intended to connect metro stations with nearby destinations, making the usefulness of the rail network dependent on an operating surface-transport link. With 80 autos out of service, the intended last-mile service has been substantially reduced, while the cooperative society’s investment and the public agencies’ vehicle purchases remain exposed to further deterioration. The authorities have not announced a confirmed plan in the supplied report for releasing the subsidy, repairing the batteries or restoring the full fleet.
