KMRL initiates measures to ease traffic congestion in Kochi Metro Corridor Phase II

The area in front of the church of St. Martina along the Palarivattom–Kaloor stretch became a bottleneck for motorists as barricades put in place for the Kochi Metro work narrowed the road to one lane, further worsening traffic congestion. Traffic often crawls through the stretch and the situation is likely to worsen with the onset of monsoon. | Photo credit: RK Nithin

Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) said it has initiated steps to ease traffic congestion and commuter inconvenience along the Phase II Metro corridor between Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and Palarivattom.

The city has been dealing with heavy traffic in recent weeks. Intermittent rain, restricted road surface and construction work along the road sections slowed down the movement of vehicles. Traffic jams also affected local means of transport.

Long queues of vehicles were seen along Edappally-Vyttila stretch and Palarivattom-Kaloor stretch. Traffic along inland roads has also been affected during peak hours in recent days.

In a statement issued on Thursday, KMRL said that the installation of a new water pipeline was recently completed as part of the ongoing works in the metro. The utility relocation activity required trenching and road cutting at several locations along the corridor. Road rehabilitation work is underway on all affected stretches between Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and Palarivattom after completion of pipeline installation and is expected to be completed by June 6, according to the release.

KMRL has acknowledged the difficulties faced by commuters, especially in view of the ongoing monsoon rains, which have further affected traffic movement in certain localities. It works closely with the traffic police, the regional transport authority and other stakeholders to prioritize challenges, it said.

To ensure the safe and speedy completion of the restoration works, temporary traffic restrictions will only be imposed outside peak hours in consultation with the traffic police. Special traffic management measures are also being implemented in Palarivattom during the day to improve vehicular flow and reduce delays, the report said.

The agency said it has expedited the restoration of the service road connecting the rear of the JLN Stadium metro station to the Vasanth Nagar station in response to the concerns of local residents. Efforts are also underway in coordination with the traffic police to provide dedicated U-turn facility to residents of Vasanth Nagar, improving local accessibility and reducing travel inconvenience, the report said.

It has directed its contractor, AFCONS and project officials to continuously monitor all work sites, quickly address issues on site and take all necessary measures to ensure smooth operations. Specialized teams have been deployed to closely monitor the traffic situation and coordinate remedial measures whenever needed, the company said.

Published – 04 Jun 2026 23:21 IST