Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister of Kerala, wrote to Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday, expressing gratitude for his willingness to consider Kerala’s proposal for a Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), which Khattar had indicated during their meeting at an urban conclave in Kochi last year.

In his letter, Vijayan informed that the Kerala State Cabinet had granted in-principle approval on January 28, 2026, to move forward with the RRTS proposal. He enclosed a conceptual note outlining the project and emphasized its importance for Kerala’s long-term sustainable mobility, considering the State’s distinctive urban and demographic characteristics.

Recalling their meeting at the Urban Conclave held in Kochi on September 12, 2025, Vijayan thanked Khattar for expressing openness to evaluating the project. He noted that the Cabinet’s recent approval marks a significant step toward implementing the system, which the State views as essential for its future transportation needs.

The Chief Minister explained that Kerala’s population is densely distributed along the Thiruvananthapuram-Kasaragod corridor, forming an almost continuous urban stretch. Combined with one of the country’s highest vehicle densities, this has placed severe strain on road infrastructure, resulting in congestion, accidents, and economic losses. He stressed that a high-capacity, high-speed transit system is urgently needed and would also support Kerala’s environmental goals by reducing carbon emissions and improving transport efficiency.

Vijayan highlighted that Kochi already operates a metro system, while metro projects in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode are under planning. The proposed RRTS network is intended to integrate with these metro systems, connect major airports in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kannur, and Calicut, and provide seamless intercity and regional connectivity. He noted that such integration would boost ridership, maximize infrastructure use, and deliver significant benefits for the State.

He also expressed confidence that collaboration with the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), which has expertise in planning and operating RRTS systems, along with Kerala’s experience in executing complex infrastructure projects responsibly, would make the initiative nationally important. Vijayan added that the project could serve as a model for similar high-density regional corridors across India.