Kochi (; Malayalam: കൊച്ചി Kochi, formerly known as Cochin) is a major port city in the Indian state of Kerala. The city is widely known as the commercial or economic capital of the state of Kerala. The road infrastructure in Kochi has not been able to meet the growing traffic demand and hence traffic congestion is a major problem in the city. A comprehensive transport development plan has been included in the Kochi Masterplan hoping to improve the transport infrastructure. Kochi Metro, the rapid transit system for the city was inaugurated on 17 June 2017. A Suburban Railway system, intended to considerably ease congestion, is also to be built in the near future. Kochi bagged the city with most sustainable transport system award instituted by the Union ministry of housing and urban affairs in 2021. Roads Most roads in Kochi are under the control of the city corporation, State PWD and National Highway Authority. Many roads in the city follow a North-South direction with two East-West corridors. Highways Kochi is part of the North-South Corridor of India's National Highway System via the NH 47. NH 66, the seventh longest highway in India, connects Kochi with Mumbai, via Kozhikode and Mangalore on the western coast of India. The NH 47 originating from Salem connects Kochi with cities like Coimbatore via Thrissur and Palakkad and also connects with state capital Thiruvananthapuram and terminates at Kanyakumari. NH 49 is another highway, connecting Kochi with Dhanushkodi in Tamil Nadu via Munnar and Madurai. Two smaller national highways, NH 47A connecting to Willingdon Island and NH 47C, connecting NH 47 to Vallarpadom from Kalamassery. NH 47 has a bypass road connecting Aroor to Edappally junction. The city is also connected with several state highways like SH 15, SH 16, SH 41, SH 63, SH 66. The state government has constructed an expressway called Seaport-Airport Road running parallel to NH 47 bypass road at Maradu junction to Kalamasserry junction. Phase II, proposed an alternative road to directly to Airport. A second four-lane road called Infopark Expressway has been constructed from Airport-Seaport road to Infopark, which is planned to develop into a east–west corridor in the future. The ever-increasing traffic congestion has necessitated the construction of flyovers at many key junctions on the national highways in Kochi. The works on Edapally flyover has commenced and a flyover at Palarivattom junction has also been sanctioned City roads Mahatma