Key facts
- KSRTC Swift, the corporation’s new long-distance subsidiary, began service on 11 April 2022 when the Chief Minister flagged off its first buses at Thampanoor, Thiruvananthapuram, Onmanorama reported.
- In the Thrikkakara by-election, Uma Thomas (INC) won with 72,770 votes, a margin of 25,016 over Jo Joseph (CPI(M)); The Hindu reported the result on 3 June 2022.
- On 1 September 2022 the Kochi Metro extension from Petta to SN Junction opened and the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for Phase II to Kakkanad, according to Wikipedia.
- Wikipedia’s ridership table shows about 71.2 lakh metro passengers in 2021 and about 2.49 crore in the 2022–23 financial year.
- The first battery-electric boat for the Kochi Water Metro was delivered by Cochin Shipyard in January 2022, according to Wikipedia.
The year at a glance
| Date | What happened | Source |
|---|---|---|
| January 2022 | First electric Water Metro boat delivered by Cochin Shipyard | Wikipedia |
| 11 April 2022 | KSRTC Swift begins long-distance services | Onmanorama |
| First week of Swift | Swift buses earn about ₹35.38 lakh | Onmanorama |
| 3 June 2022 | Thrikkakara by-election result: Uma Thomas (INC) wins | Wikipedia, citing The Hindu |
| 1 September 2022 | Metro extension Petta–SN Junction opens; Phase II foundation stone laid | Wikipedia |
| 2022–23 | Metro ridership about 2.49 crore for the financial year | Wikipedia |
We deliberately left out items we could not tie to a reliable date, including monsoon events and some fare changes. Fare histories are covered on our bus fare history and auto and taxi fare history pages.
Coming back after Covid
Kalamassery is a town of students and workers, and it felt the pandemic’s closures acutely: classes moved online and many students went home; our page on Covid-19 and the Medical College covers the local health response. The numbers that best show the recovery are the metro’s. Wikipedia’s annual figures put Kochi Metro at about 61.9 lakh passengers in 2020 and 71.2 lakh in 2021, before jumping to about 2.49 crore in the 2022–23 financial year. Part of that jump came from new stations; part from people returning to campuses and offices along NH 544.
April: KSRTC Swift
On 11 April 2022 the Chief Minister flagged off the first KSRTC Swift services at the Thampanoor depot in Thiruvananthapuram, Onmanorama reported. Swift was set up as a separate company for KSRTC’s long-distance routes; on its first evening it ran four AC sleeper buses to Bengaluru and six ‘bypass rider’ services to the north of the state. Onmanorama reported first-week takings of ₹35,38,291. The launch was not trouble-free: two Swift buses were involved in accidents within a day, and the drivers were dismissed, Onmanorama reported on 13 April. Our KSRTC Swift history follows the story into Kochi’s bus network.
May–June: the Thrikkakara by-election
Thrikkakara, the assembly constituency immediately south-east of Kalamassery that includes Kakkanad, held a by-election in 2022 following the vacancy left by its MLA P. T. Thomas, elected in 2021. According to Wikipedia’s constituency page, Uma Thomas of the Indian National Congress won with 72,770 votes (53.76%), a margin of 25,016 over Jo Joseph of the CPI(M), who polled 47,754. The Hindu’s report on the result is dated 3 June 2022. Results for Kalamassery’s own seat are on our assembly constituency history page.
September: a metro extension and a new line
On 1 September 2022 Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened the Petta–SN Junction extension of Kochi Metro and laid the foundation stone for Phase II, the line from Kaloor to Kakkanad that would later be named the Pink Line, according to Wikipedia. For Kalamassery commuters the extension meant a longer one-seat ride south, while the foundation stone signalled that a rail link to Kakkanad was finally on the way, though construction did not begin until 2024. See the Pink Line timeline and the metro’s 2017 arrival.
Other threads
- Water Metro: the first electric boat was delivered in January 2022; public service did not begin until April 2023 (launch history).
- Football: Kerala’s 2022 Santosh Trophy campaign is covered on its own page, Santosh Trophy 2022.
- Next year: the big stories of 2023 are in Kalamassery in 2023.
Why 2022 matters near the NAD signal
The return of students and workers in 2022 was the start of the demand for rooms that the NAD Road area still sees. Ashraf Gents Hostel, a men-only hostel at the signal, is part of that story of cheap, simple housing for students, staff and working men. For the full run of years, see the archive hub.
Frequently asked questions
When did KSRTC Swift start?
Its first services were flagged off on 11 April 2022 in Thiruvananthapuram, according to Onmanorama.
Who won the 2022 Thrikkakara by-election?
Uma Thomas of the INC won with 72,770 votes, a margin of 25,016 over Jo Joseph of the CPI(M).
What happened to Kochi Metro in 2022?
The Petta–SN Junction extension opened on 1 September 2022, the same day the foundation stone for the Kakkanad line was laid.
Did metro ridership recover in 2022?
Yes. Wikipedia lists about 71.2 lakh passengers in 2021 and about 2.49 crore in the 2022–23 financial year.
Related guides
Sources
- Onmanorama: KSRTC Swift long-distance services flagged off (April 2022)
- Onmanorama: KSRTC’s new Swift services netted ₹35.38 lakh in inaugural week
- Onmanorama: KSRTC Swift accidents, crew dismissed (April 2022)
- Wikipedia: Thrikkakara Assembly constituency
- Wikipedia: Kochi Metro
- Wikipedia: Kochi Water Metro
Facts about Ashraf Gents Hostel come from the hostel’s own profile and photos; rates are indicative and confirmed on the call. Last reviewed . How we write these guides: editorial notes. Map embeds © Google.
Cite this guide: Ashraf Gents Hostel. “Kalamassery in 2022: The Year in Review.” Published 8 October 2026. https://ashrafgentspghostel.adserr.com/kalamassery-in-2022/ Plain-text (Markdown) version · quoting with a link back is welcome.