No plan to rename Kochi Metro Rail Ltd as Keralam Metro Rail Ltd, says CM V.D. Satheesan
CM says KMRL authorities issued a press release on name change proposal without consulting with government
Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan firmly stated on August 21, 2026, that the government has no intention to rename Kochi Metro Rail Ltd as 'Keralam Metro Rail Limited'. The proposal for the name change was made unilaterally, without holding consultations with the government, according to Satheesan who addressed media inquiries at the foundation stone-laying ceremony of five houses under his 'Punarjani' scheme in North Paravur.
He pointed out that the KMRL authorities had issued a press release regarding the name change proposal without informing the government beforehand. Former Union Minister K. V. Thomas had previously suggested rejecting the proposal in a communication to the Chief Minister, arguing that officials unfamiliar with Kochi's historical significance may propose altering the name of the Kochi International Airport.
The issue gained controversy after Hibi Eden, MP, wrote a letter to Satheesan, demanding that the existing name be retained and describing the initiative by KMRL managing director Loknath Behera as 'strange and unacceptable'. Eden emphasized that using KMRL's expertise for urban transport projects across Kerala should not alter the company's name.
He argued that the existing name is appropriate for KMRL's expanding operational area and there's no need for an arbitrary name change in anticipation of future metro projects. Behera clarified that the proposal was merely a suggestion and that the final decision lay with the State government.
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