Kamal Ghorui
Kochi: The long-delayed second phase of the Vyttila Mobility Hub project may finally see movement after more than 15 years in limbo. The Vyttila Mobility Hub Society (VMHS), the agency tasked with developing the hub, has begun efforts to revive the expansion, which stalled due to funding constraints and procedural hurdles. VMHS managing director K Gopalakrishnan said the society plans to initiate the process once the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) is lifted. “We intend to restart the second phase and will approach the new govt for a fresh detailed project report (DPR),” he told TOI. The proposed Phase II aims to transform the hub into a fully integrated, world-class transit terminal, linking the Kochi Metro, water transport and long-distance bus services. The plan includes nearly 100 bus bays, a multi-level car parking facility (MLCP), and large commercial and hospitality spaces. Though two DPRs were prepared earlier, the authorities couldn’t translate them into reality. The first DPR, prepared by VMHS in 2014, pegged the project cost at Rs 433.34 crore but was shelved due to lack of funds. A revised DPR by Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) in 2019 estimated the cost at Rs 590 crore and proposed a hub-and-spoke model combining transport and commercial facilities while preserving green cover. However, the finance department declined direct funding and pushed for a public-private partnership model, which failed to attract investors. A subsequent plan to secure funding from the French Development Agency (AFD) also fell through after objections were raised by NITI Aayog. As a result, the 25-acre site has remained underutilized even as traffic congestion in the city worsens. Officials now indicate that a fresh proposal could adopt a transit-oriented development (TOD) model. By unlocking the commercial potential of the land, through malls, office spaces and hotels, the society hopes that the project could become financially viable and more appealing to the govt. “Kochi’s urban landscape has changed significantly. The completion of Metro Phase I and the rollout of the Water Metro have changed commuter patterns, making earlier feasibility studies outdated. A proposal to transfer land within the hub to KSRTC in exchange for 2.9 acres at Karikkamuri has also been dropped. The land will be the vital point for Phase II expansion,” said an official. Meanwhile, there are calls to align the project with the local area plan (LAP), being prepared by the Kochi corporation. Vyttila councillor V P Chandran said the hub expansion should be implemented jointly with the corporation. “The LAP proposes development across 105 hectares within a 500-metre radius of the Vyttila Metro station, covering the entire hub area. The space can also be used to ease traffic congestion at Vyttila Junction,” said Chandran. Integrating Phase II with the LAP, he said, could help bridge the chronic funding gap that has stalled the terminal’s expansion for over a decade, by leveraging the Corporation’s dedicated funds.
