Undersea tunnel proposed to bridge Vypeen-Fort Kochi gap on coastal highway

A concept paper for an undersea road tunnel beneath Cochin Port's shipping channel has been submitted to the State Planning Board. Former port administrator Jose Paul proposes a 2.5 to 3-km link to complete the missing stretch of Kerala's 625-km coastal highway connecting Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod.

The tunnel would provide direct connectivity between Vypeen and Fort Kochi, eliminating dependence on the Ro-Ro ferry. Paul estimates it would reduce the Fort Kochi to Ernakulam journey from 16 km to 8 km, cutting travel time to the High Court area from 75 minutes to 15-30 minutes.

Currently, around 6,000 vehicles and 3,500 passengers use the ferry daily, facing up to an hour's wait during peak periods. Ferry operations halt during ship passages—approximately 3,500 annually—and during monsoons due to rough seas.