Two platforms, stop for Vande Bharat; When will airport railway station near Cochin International Airport be completed?

KOCHI: A railway station adjacent to the Nedumbassery airport has been a long-standing desire of many, including expatriates. The wait is over, and the dream is sure to come true. When and how will the Nedumbassery railway station start operating? After the Railway Board decided to build a new station, information is now coming out about what facilities will be available at the station in the first phase.

The railway station, which will be built at a cost of crores, will have two platforms. The platforms will be able to accommodate trains with 24 coaches. The entrance of the proposed railway station will be right next to the airport. There will be no hindrance to future development activities since the land of the Railways and CIAL is available. The main entrance of the railway station will be on the road from the railway station to the airport. Passengers can reach the entrance to the airport by crossing the road after getting off the train.

Facilities like high-level platform, foot over bridge, lift connectivity to the platform will also be there in the first phase. The construction work is planned to start in December 2025. The aim is to inaugurate the station within two years. The plan for a railway station adjacent to the airport was prepared and the foundation stone was laid in 2010, but the project was abandoned.

Those arriving at Cochin Airport from other districts currently rely on Angamaly, Aluva, Ernakulam Town and Ernakulam Junction stations. Connectivity issues and high costs to reach the airport from these stations often pose challenges for passengers.