Kerala State Budget 2026-27: mixed bag for Kozhikode as several major projects omitted

The final Budget of the second Pinarayi Vijayan government, presented by Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal on Thursday (January 29), included a few targeted allocations for Kozhikode but left several long-pending infrastructure projects unfunded, leaving the district with mixed feelings.

Among the key announcements was the establishment of a Kerala Kala Kendra in Kozhikode as part of a Statewide initiative to create permanent venues for showcasing Kerala’s traditional art forms, including drama, dance, and martial arts. An amount of ₹10 crore has been earmarked for the project, with centres to come up first in Thiruvananthapuram, followed by Kochi and Kozhikode.

The Budget allocated ₹5 crore for various activities of the Kozhikode Biological Park, giving a fillip to conservation and tourism-linked initiatives in the district. In the education sector, Kozhikode has been included in the first phase of the Public Hostel Scheme for students of government colleges, along with Ernakulam and Thrissur.

The district will also see a Multipurpose Women’s Hostel under a new ₹2 crore scheme aimed at providing safe and affordable accommodation for tribal women working in urban centres and those pursuing postgraduate and higher studies. The Budget also provided ₹5 crore for the renovation of the Kuttiyadi irrigation project.

However, these allocations stood in contrast to the omission of several long-pending projects. The Budget did not provide funds for land acquisition of the 14.5 acres required for the runway end safety area (RESA) expansion at Calicut International Airport, Karipur, which remains stalled. It also made no provision for the Kozhikode–Balussery State Highway or for completing the widening of the Mananchira–Vellimadukunnu road. The delay in the second phase of the road project, so far completed only up to Malaparamba, has triggered public protests, with an action committee announcing a mass dharna at the Malaparamba housing colony bus stand on Friday (January 30).

Several proposals announced in earlier Budgets also found no mention this year. They include the Kozhikode Light Metro, the Malaparamba Mobility Hub, a parking plaza at Mananchira, renovation of the EMS Corporation Stadium and the proposed government takeover of the Comtrust Handloom Weaving Factory, which has remained closed for over a decade.

While the Budget referred to substantial investments in sports infrastructure at the State level, it did not spell out any specific projects or allocations for sports facilities or football infrastructure in Kozhikode, despite expectations.