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Many railway passengers in Kochi have been asking for skywalks that connect major railway stations to nearby metro stations. Their request is finally gaining attention. If built, these skywalks could make travel much easier and also encourage more people to use the Kochi Metro. Some media reports confirm that Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) will be given special permissions to use railway land for this project without extra charges. This will help move the plan forward.
Railways Ready to Support
Although there were earlier talks between the Railways and KMRL about building skywalks at Ernakulam Junction, Ernakulam Town, and Tripunithura stations, nothing concrete happened. However, with public demand growing, there is fresh hope. Thiruvananthapuram Divisional Railway Manager, Manish Thaplyal, said, “If KMRL approaches us, we’re ready to approve the project. Railways always want to make travel better for passengers.”
K J Paul Manvettom, who leads the All Kerala Railway Users Association, said that people have been requesting these skywalks for a long time. He shared that Ernakulam Junction alone handles 128 scheduled trains every day and gets over 1.96 crore passengers each year. Ernakulam Town station serves over 1 crore passengers annually, and Tripunithura has around 1.5 lakh passengers.
He pointed out that many passengers now use the Tripunithura metro station to travel across Kochi. A skywalk would help these passengers, especially older people, move between the train and the metro easily.
Problems During Rainy Season
Getting to Ernakulam Junction can be hard, especially when it rains. The approach road often gets muddy, making it tough for travelers to reach the station. A skywalk would fix this issue by offering a direct, clean path. It could also bring more people to the metro, boosting ridership.
Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden has written to KMRL, asking them to start building the skywalks. He said they are important for connecting different public transport systems. He also mentioned that Ernakulam Town is being improved under a ₹150 crore redevelopment project, and Tripunithura has already had upgrades worth ₹4.97 crore. So far, KMRL hasn’t made a public statement about the project. But if both Railways and KMRL work together, these skywalks could soon become a reality and make commuting in Kochi much smoother.
