Kochi Water Metro to cruise from March: All you need to know about the public transport project

Artist's impression of the Fort Kochi boat terminal (Image: Instagram/KochiMetroRail)

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said the first phase of Kochi Water Metro will become operational by March 2020.

The Water Metro is the first-of-its-kind public transportation project in the country.

Here’s all you need to know about the project:

Operator

> The project is being implemented by Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) which also operates the Kochi Metro.

> The integrated water transport project will come up at a cost of Rs 747 crore. It will be financially assisted by the German state-owned development bank KfW.

> Once complete, Kochi will be the first city in the country to have a water transport network integrated as a feeder service to the metro rail, according to KMRL.

The plan

> KMRL has identified 16 routes that will connect 10 islands. The network of routes will span around 76 kilometres.

> A fleet of 78 watercrafts will operate on this network. According to the operator, these ferries will be “fast, fuel efficient” and air-conditioned. These ferries will ply to 38 jetties. While 18 of these jetties will be main boat hubs, 20 will be minor jetties for transit services.

> Over 1 lakh people living on islanders around Kochi are expected to benefit from the project.