Thiruvananthapuram set to join ranks of three top cities; major projects on the horizon

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The long wait of the people in the capital city has finally come to an end. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has approved the first phase of the Thiruvananthapuram Metro Rail project. Among the South Indian state capitals, Thiruvananthapuram was the only one without a metro rail system. Other South Indian capital cities such as Hyderabad, Chennai, and Bengaluru already have metro services, and now with this approval, Kerala’s capital is joining that list.

Once the project gets approval from the Centre, the state government plans to start construction within this year itself. The Thiruvananthapuram Metro will be implemented through Kochi Metro Rail Limited. Thiruvananthapuram is one of the fastest-growing cities in India. After the inauguration of the Vizhinjam International Port, the industrial profile of the city and district has started changing rapidly.

Several major projects linked to the Vizhinjam port are in the pipeline. As cargo movement by road increases, there has been a growing demand to improve public transport systems like the metro to meet the city's transportation needs. Studies have already shown that the Thiruvananthapuram Metro could attract more passengers than the Kochi Metro.

The capital city is also witnessing major changes in the real estate sector. The shipyard project at Poovar has also received approval. A series of mega projects, such as the Outer Ring Road, further expansion of Technopark, a logistics hub in Vizhinjam, and an EV hub across 50 acres in Vilappilsala, are set to transform Thiruvananthapuram in the coming years.