Key facts
- RBDCK, the state agency building the road, lists the HMT–NAD stretch as 2.7 km long, four lanes, with a 45 m right of way.
- RBDCK says 1.54 km of that stretch was finished in 2022 for ₹24 crore. The roughly 600 m through HMT land and 560 m through NAD land were left out.
- The HMT and NAD land has now been handed over. The state paid about ₹37.9 crore for 1.4 ha of HMT land and about ₹23.11 crore for about 2.5 ha of NAD land, according to February 2026 reports.
- The tender for the balance work was re-invited on 17 February 2026. Financial bids were opened on 10 March 2026, and RBDCK asked the lowest bidder to negotiate on 16 March 2026 because the quote was above the admissible amount.
- Beyond NAD, the 6.5 km NAD–Mahilalayam section still awaits construction. KIIFB sanctioned ₹569.34 crore for its land acquisition, a Kerala Ports report said in November 2025.
Why a half-built road became a tea spot
Most of Kalamassery’s roads are narrow, busy and lined with buildings. The built part of the HMT–NAD link is the opposite. It is a broad four-lane carriageway, finished in 2022, with wide shoulders and almost no traffic, because both ends stop short at land that until recently belonged to HMT and the Navy. With nothing to pass through, there are few trucks, no horns and plenty of space to park a bike and talk.
Over the last few years that empty road has picked up an evening routine. People around NAD Road and HMT Colony describe it as one of the most popular places in the area to sit with a tea after work or college. The sky is open, there is usually a breeze, and nobody hurries you along.
What an evening there looks like
This is what residents and regulars describe. It is not an official schedule, and stalls come and go.
- From about 4 pm, tea stalls and snack carts set up along the edges. The crowd builds after office and college hours.
- After sunset is the busiest time: groups of friends on two-wheelers, families out for a drive, workers from the industrial area, and students from colleges around Kalamassery.
- The usual order is a glass of tea or coffee with fried snacks such as pazhampori, parippuvada or ullivada, and in hot weather lime soda or uppilitta soda.
- People sit on their bikes, the kerb or the median and stay for 20 minutes or two hours. It works for a cheap catch-up, a quiet call home or watching the sky change colour.
Seaport–Airport Road is also known for tea in the wider Kalamassery area. In June 2024 Onmanorama featured Tea Cafe, a stall on the Kalamassery side of the road run by Muhammad Rashid. It said the stall stays open 24 hours, gets busy from about 4 pm and has queues late into the night. Its menu includes many teas, Malabar snacks, avil milk, ice churandi (shaved ice) and flavoured sodas. The article also noted that the four-lane construction had paused, which kept the area calm. Check a map listing for its current status before you go.
What work is still pending
The road between the port and the airport has been planned for more than two decades. The first phase, from Irumpanam to Kalamassery (about 11.3 km), opened in 2003. Everything north of HMT has been waiting on land ever since. This is where the HMT–NAD link stands, using RBDCK’s project page and news reports from 2025–26:
| Piece of the HMT–NAD link | Length | Status (latest public information) |
|---|---|---|
| Middle section (today’s tea spot) | about 1.54 km | Built in 2022 for about ₹24 crore (RBDCK) |
| HMT land end | about 600 m | Land handed over to RBDCK after the state deposited about ₹37.9 crore; road not yet built |
| NAD land end | about 560 m | About 2.5 ha handed over after presidential approval in 2024; road not yet built |
| Balance work contract | the remaining gaps | Tender re-invited 17 Feb 2026; financial bids opened 10 Mar 2026; negotiation with lowest bidder requested 16 Mar 2026 |
Reports in early 2026 expected construction to begin around March 2026, and an earlier tender notice gave a 12-month completion period. We could not find a public report confirming that the contract was signed or that work began after March 2026. If you live nearby, the clearest signs of a start are site fencing, tree cutting and machinery at the HMT and NAD ends.
The figures do not always match. RBDCK lists the built middle section as 1.54 km, while some reports call a section built in 2021–22 about 1.9 km. Tender amounts also differ between reports, from about ₹17 crore to about ₹20 crore, depending on what each covers. Check the latest RBDCK update before quoting a figure.
After NAD: the rest of Phase II
Closing the HMT–NAD gap does not finish the road. Phase II continues from NAD to Mahilalayam junction (about 6.5 km), then to Chowara and on to the airport road. A November 2025 Kerala Ports report said land acquisition for the NAD–Mahilalayam section was nearing completion, with ₹569.34 crore sanctioned by KIIFB, and that construction tenders were still to come. Our road history covers the full timeline.
What will change when the road opens
Once the HMT and NAD gaps are closed, this stretch becomes a through route for port, industrial and airport traffic, including heavy trucks. Lingering on the shoulder with a tea will stop being relaxed or safe. The tea crowd will probably move to side roads, wayside shops or the Periyar riverside, so the current routine is likely to last only until construction starts.
Good manners and safety
- Park fully off the carriageway. The road is quiet, not closed, and vehicles do use it, sometimes fast.
- Do not race or do stunts. Empty roads attract it, and police do check.
- Take paper cups and snack wrappers back to the stall’s bin or home. See our waste guide for how waste is collected locally.
- Wear a helmet riding there and back, even for a short trip, and use lights after dark because parts of the stretch are poorly lit.
- Once construction starts, keep out of fenced work zones.
Getting there from the NAD Road signal
The stretch lies between HMT Colony and the NAD area, a short ride from the signal. Use the map on this page for directions. If you would rather walk to tea, our bakeries and tea shops guide lists places closer to NAD Road. The Seaport–Airport Road guide explains how the finished southern part takes you to Kakkanad and Infopark.
Ashraf Gents Hostel is at the NAD Road signal, a short ride from this stretch, and takes men on monthly or daily stays. The indicative rate is about ₹2,000–3,000 per head per month, confirmed on +91 90746 23855.
Frequently asked questions
Why is part of Seaport–Airport Road in Kalamassery unfinished?
Both ends of the HMT–NAD link needed land from HMT and the Naval Armament Depot, and those transfers took about two decades. RBDCK built the 1.54 km middle section in 2022 and is tendering the remaining HMT (about 600 m) and NAD (about 560 m) gaps.
When will the HMT–NAD stretch be completed?
Reports in early 2026 expected work to start around March 2026, with a 12-month completion period. RBDCK was negotiating with the lowest bidder in March 2026. We found no confirmed start date after that.
Where do people go for evening tea on Seaport–Airport Road?
Locals gather along the quiet, unfinished HMT–NAD stretch near HMT Colony, where tea stalls set up in the evenings. On the Kalamassery side of the road, Tea Cafe was featured by Onmanorama in 2024 as a 24-hour tea and snack stop.
What is pending after the HMT–NAD link?
Phase II continues from NAD to Mahilalayam junction (about 6.5 km), then to Chowara and the airport road. Land acquisition for the NAD–Mahilalayam section was nearing completion in late 2025, and construction tenders were still to come.
Related guides
Sources
- RBDCK: Airport Seaport Road Phase II (HMT to NAD) — project status
- PropNewsTime: Work on 2.7 km HMT–NAD stretch to restart after two decades (Feb 2026)
- Kerala Ports: Kochi’s two-decade roadblock cleared (Nov 2025)
- Onmanorama: Tender invited to fix ‘missing links’ on Seaport–Airport Road phase 2 (Jan 2026)
- Swarajya: President approves NAD land for Seaport–Airport Road (Mar 2024)
- Onmanorama: Tea Cafe — teas and a cosy hangout in Kalamassery (Jun 2024)
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. “Evening Tea on the Unfinished Seaport–Airport Road, Kalamassery.” Published 8 October 2026. https://ashrafgentspghostel.adserr.com/seaport-airport-road-evening-tea-spot/ Plain-text (Markdown) version · quoting with a link back is welcome.