Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated and launched the Kochi Water Metro on April 25, 2023. By 2035, the mass transit system is reportedly anticipated to be completely operational, carrying 1.5 lakh commuters daily.
The metropolis of Kochi in Kerala, India, is served by the integrated ferry transportation system known as Kochi Water Metro. With a fleet of 78 electrically operated hybrid boats travelling via 38 ports and 16 routes totalling 76 kilometres, Kochi’s ten island villages will be connected to the mainland through the first-ever comprehensive water-based transportation system of this size and scope in both India and Asia. Additionally, it provides feeder service to suburban areas near rivers with poor access to transportation.
Overview of this Project
- Two designs of modern catamaran commuter boats, including Internet access and cooling systems, were proposed for the project. The electric motor boats, which can accommodate between 50 and 100 passengers, travel at a top speed of around 15 kph, reaching a maximum speed of 22 kph.
- The boats are equipped with the most recent security and communication technologies. On the congested channels, small battery-operated boats operate. On various routes, the headways range from 10 to 20 minutes. It is proposed that the jetties have movable pontoons with self-docking technology. The hovering pontoons are protected by adjustable shelters to offer comfort throughout the rainy season.
- Operation Control Centre (OCC) and Intelligent Navigation System (INS), connected to the city’s transportation system, are also planned as infrastructure components. The Kochi Metro will expand its Automatic Fare Collection system to include water transit, making it easier for passengers to use one ticket for the train and the boat.
- In addition to ferry service, the project calls for expanding existing and new access roads to jetties and islands. Two boatyards, one each at Thevara and Pizhala, are suggested. The initiative also aims to enhance the quality of life on Kochi’s islands and backwater communities. The initiative also includes the promotion of tourism.
Detailed information about the Kochi Water Metro is as follows:
- The project’s initial demonstrators will be eight Cochin Shipyard Limited hybrid boats with electrical propulsion.
- A water metro system connecting ten adjacent islands will be built close to Kochi, a city known for its ports.
- Funding of the Project: Project is funded by the German company Kfw and the state government of Kerala.
- The KWM plan consists of 38 terminals stations and 78 electrically operated boats.
- The KWM service will start in its first phase from the High Court-Vypin and Vyttila-Kakkanad stations. The chief minister of Kerala claims that passengers could go from High Court Terminal to Vypin Station in a little over twenty minutes without encountering any traffic.
- Information about Kochi Water Metro tickets: A boat trip requires a minimum ticket price of 20 rupees. For frequent travellers, there is various sort of passes facility available.
- The water metro is marketed as electric-powered, ecologically friendly, and handicapped-accessible.
- There will be broad, air-conditioned vessels provided with breathtaking backwater sights.
- The entire Kochi Water Metro plan cost would be Rs. 1,137 crores.
