Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the first phase of India's first Water Metro during his visit to Kerala on April 25. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan termed the Kochi Water Metro as a “dream project” of the state that would accelerate the growth and development of Kochi.
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Water Metro is a unique urban mass transit system with the same experience and ease of travel as that of the conventional metro system. It is very useful in cities like Kochi. As a first phase of the project, service would begin soon from High Court-Vypin terminals to Vyttila-Kakkanad terminals.
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The cost-effective and secure journey in air-conditioned boats would help people to reach their respective destinations without being stuck in traffic snarls. Passengers can travel in both Kochi metro and water metro using the “Kochi 1” card. They can also book the tickets digitally.
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Kochi Water Metro with 78 eco-friendly boats and 38 terminals cost 1,136.83 crores, funded by Government of Kerala and German funding agency KfW.
The Kochi water metro will connect to 10 islands along a network of routes that span 78 km with a fleet of 78 fast, electrically propelled hybrid ferries plying to 38 jetties.
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The project intends to introduce modern, energy-efficient, environment friendly and safe boats with low wake and draft characteristics at a high frequency to increase ridership.
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According to the officials, the Modi government has made a conscious choice to avoid a one-size fits all approach in providing infrastructure and connectivity. A prime example of this approach is seen in the expansion of metro connectivity in the country.
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Metro Lite is a low-cost Mass Rapid Transit System with the same experience and ease of travel in terms of comfort, convenience, safety, punctuality, reliability, and environment friendliness as that of the conventional metro system. It is a low-cost mobility solution for tier-2 cities and smaller cities with Peak Hour Peak Direction Traffic up to 15,000. (With inputs from agencies)
