Kerala
Infrastructure and Communication
With her well-connected road network, a rail line connecting all but two districts of the State, three international airports of Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode and third international greenfield airport fast becoming a reality in Kannur, National Waterway III consisting of the vast stretches of backwaters, 17 ports and Vallarpadam Transshipment Container Terminal at Kochi and Vizhinjam deep sea Transshipment Container Terminal Kerala is poised to become the commercial and travel hub not only of the country but the world at large.
Kerala can be proud of having developed a good road network compared to other States in India. Transportation infrastructure of Kerala consists of 1.62 lakh km. of road 1148 km. of railways 1087 km. of inland waterways 111 statute miles of airways and 17 ports. Even though it is comparatively better placed than most other States as regards road length, the quality of many of these roads are poor.
The National Highways network in Kerala is of 1523.954 km. This is only 2.3 percent of the total length of National Highways in the country. There are eight National Highways in the State Viz. N.H. 47 Walayar - Kaliyikkavila 416.800 Km. (Mumbai-Kanyakumari). NH 17 Thalappady - Edappally 420.77 km. NH 49 - Kundanoor Bodimettu (Kochi - Madurai) 167.593 km. NH 47 A - Kundannoor - Willingdon Island 5.900 km. NH 208-Kollam - Aryankavu 81.280 km. NH 212- Kozhikode - Muthanga 117 km. NH 213 Palakkad - Kozhikode 125.304 km. NH 220-Kollam - Kumily 189.300 Km of the total length of 1523.954 kms. 1076 km. is single lane 411.700 km. double lane and 36 km. four lane. The total road length in Kerala increased from 160944 km. in 2005-06 to 162149 km. in 2006-07. Road density in the State is 417 km./100 sq. km. and it is for ahead of the national average of 100.39 km./100 sq. km.. The length of road per lakh population is 509.23 km. and it is much higher than the national average of 321.3 km..
Kerala State Road Transport Corporation is the largest single public sector transport undertaking, which carries out transport operations in the State. Road transport acts as the feeder service to rail, air and inland water transport. The vehicle density of the State is very high compared to many other States in India. The road freight services are wholly owned and operated by the private sector.
Railways play a significant role in the transport system of the State. The railway divisions at Thiruvananthapuram, Palakkad and Madurai jointly carry out transport operations in the State. The railway network extends over 1148 route km. in Kerala of which 111.14 kms. are metre gauge.
Water Transport
Along its coastline of 585 km. Kerala has one major port at Kochi and 17 non-major ports. Cochin port spreads over 827 ha. It has a water frontage of 7.5 kms. The port has connectivity to hinterland through NH17 and NH 49. Rail links to the Konkan and Southern Railway also give key rail access to its hinterland. An inland waterway connecting to Kollam and Kottapuram on either side is developed. Vallarpadam International Transshipment Container Terminal at Kochi and Vizhinjam Deep Water International Transshipment Terminal when completed will cater to container vessels upto 8000 TEUs in the initial phase and 10000 to 12000 TEUs in subsequent phases.
Waterways are successfully used for commercial Inland Water Transport. The transportation is mainly done with country craft and passenger vessels. Inland waterways in Kerala including navigable portions of rivers is 1687 kms. The West Coast Canal also called National Waterway III stretching from Kovalam in the South to Hosdurg in the North is being renovated for commercial transport.
Kerala has three airports at Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikdoe handling both international and domestic flights. A fourth international greenfield airport is now being constructed at Kannur. Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode airports are owned by the Government of India while that at Kochi is owned by a company set up by Kerala Government with public private participation.
Communication
Kerala postal circle provides postal needs of whole of Kerala, Lakshadeep and Mahe. There are 5070 post offices functioning in the State. All 51 Head post offices and 557 Departmental sub post offices are computerised.
Kerala Telecom Circle serves the whole of Kerala, Lakshadeep and Mahe. The State has 11 major SSAs and one minor SSA at Lakshadeep. The State has a telephone density of 191 per 1000 population with BSNL connections. Kerala Telecome Circle has state - of- the art digital switches and interconnected reliable optical fibre/microwave satellite media.
* Exclusively prepared content for NPI by CSP Kerala
Courtesy : Economic Review, 2007 published by State Planning Board, Kerala.
Source: IT Department, Government of Kerala 
