Kochi Metro’s commercial expansion has reached Tripunithura, where the Kerala State Beverages Corporation (Bevco) has opened a premium liquor outlet at the terminal station as part of a wider effort to increase non-fare revenue from metro properties.
The air-conditioned outlet covers 3,000 sq ft across two floors, with each level measuring 1,500 sq ft. Bevco said the store will offer the same range available at its High Spirits boutique at Vyttila Metro station, where daily sales average around Rs 22 lakh.
A Bevco official said interior works at the Tripunithura outlet were progressing and that the facility would be fully operational next month. The store is intended to replace an older Bevco location in Kakkanad, which was relocated following a court order linked to restrictions concerning its proximity to certain establishments.
The Tripunithura outlet is part of a collaboration between Kochi Metro Rail Ltd and Bevco signed last year. The agreement seeks to use metro stations and their surrounding commercial spaces to generate revenue beyond passenger fares. The arrangement reflects the growing role of station premises as locations for retail and other commercial activity in urban transit systems.
Customers at the Tripunithura and Vyttila outlets can purchase up to three litres of Indian Made Foreign Liquor, two litres of Foreign Made Foreign Liquor and 3.5 litres of beer, according to the report. Both outlets operate from 10am to 9pm and accept modern digital payment methods.
The outlets are designed as premium retail facilities rather than conventional liquor counters, with air-conditioned interiors and a larger product range. Bevco and Kochi Metro authorities expect the upgraded retail experience to improve the commercial appeal of the stations and contribute to metro ridership.
The arrangement also places clear limits on how purchases can be used within the transit system. Sealed bottles may be purchased and transported, but public consumption and travelling with opened liquor bottles remain prohibited, the Bevco official said.
For Kochi Metro, the Tripunithura outlet adds another commercial use to a station network that is being positioned as more than a passenger-transfer system. The immediate next milestone is the completion of interior works and the outlet’s planned transition to full operations next month.
