Kerala Budget 2025-26: Kochi projects get big budget boost

KOCHI: The state budget earmarked provisions for various projects in Kochi, but the allocations are mainly for the ongoing projects. Besides, state finance minister KN Balagopal is understood to have presented some of the already announced projects as new ones.
Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) will be provided with Rs 289 crore in the FY 2025-26 for funding in the second phase of the project. The budget also allocates Rs 159.6 crore for the integrated water transport project in Kochi.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB)-aided Kerala Urban Water Supply Improvement project intends to provide 24x7 water supply in Thiru- vananthapuram and Kochi corporations. The aim is to reduce non-revenue water from 51% to 20% in Kochi and to renovate production and distribution components. An allocation of Rs 75 crore has been made for this purpose.
Another allocation is Rs 200 crore for the Kochi-Palakkad Hi-tech Industrial Corridor, which is a part of the Kochi-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor. All these projects, except the ABD project, are ongoing ones. Besides, metropolitan planning committees will be formed for the development of Kochi, alongside Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode. The budget has also allocated Rs 10 crore for the Operation Breakthrough project to solve water logging in Kochi. The govt has been allocating funds for the project since 2019 when the city faced severe flooding.
Another major allocation is Rs 30 crore for the infrastructure facilities of Kochi Petrochemical Park. An amount of Rs 7 crore is set apart for the 2025-26 edition of the KochiMuziris Biennale.
K-homes, a project to use vacant houses in the area for homestay purposes, will be piloted in the areas within a 10km radius around tourism destinations like Fort Kochi, Kumarakom, Kovalam, Munnar etc. After evaluating the results of this pilot project, it will be implemented across the state. An amount of Rs 5 crore is set aside for the initial expenses of the same. The Kochi Sustainable Urban Restructuring project seeks to transform the city’s urban areas into planned, vibrant, and active spaces. An amount of Rs 10 crore is allocated for this project. It will be implemented on 210 hectares of land excluding the island area with private participation. This will be extended to other urban areas of the state as well.
Meanwhile, the opposition was critical of the allocations. “The govt ignored the renovation of Ernakulam KSRTC depot this time as well. The finance minister declared Rs 5 crore for She Lodge by GCDA. The same allocation was there in the last budget also. Similarly, the Rs 2,000 crore worth housing board project was there in the last budget as well,” said Ernakulam MLA TJ Vinod.