Officials tracking the Thiruvananthapuram metro caution that a final nod from the Union government is at least a year away. The alignment approved by the State has shifted, so land acquisition details must be redrawn and a fresh detailed project report (DPR) prepared. That DPR needs State approval first, after which it can be submitted to the Centre.
The timing is tied to politics: Kerala elects a new government in six months, and its priorities will influence the sequencing and urgency of approvals. Under usual timelines, reworking the DPR and getting both State and Central clearances would take roughly twelve months, and only then could the five-year construction window begin.
The revised Phase I runs from Pappanamcode to Eenchakkal—about 31 km with 27 stations—budgeted at roughly ₹8,000 crore, or ₹250 crore per km. The State currently favors an elevated line to avoid the extra ₹550 crore per km an underground stretch would add. Funding is expected to follow the standard model: 20% each from the Centre and State, with the remaining 60% financed through loans.