PM Modi inaugurates Kochi Water Metro: What is this public boat service?

The Kochi Water Metro is a project being implemented by Kochi Metro Rail Corporation Limited (KMRL) with the assistance of a German funding agency, Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau.

It includes boats that are hybrid, battery-powered, air-conditioned and disabled-friendly among other features. The water metro will operate on water bodies like any other ferry or traditional boat service, but with modern facilities, enhanced safety and security measures.

How is the water metro linked to the metro rail?

Kochi Water metro has been envisaged as a feeder service of the Kochi metro rail, which has been operational since 2017. While boats have been designed as coaches of Kochi Metro, boat terminals, passenger entry and exit gates, ticket counters and safety measures mirror the features of the metro rail service.

All jetties feature electronic display boards about boat service. Announcements will be made in English, Hindi and Malayalam when the services are operating in full swing. Passenger entry and exit to boats, with air-conditioned cabins, are similar to the system in Kochi metros.

The 15 identified routes under the project. (Photo: https://kochimetro.org/)

Boats, routes and terminals

The water metro boat service will operate in the backwaters of Kochi, connecting 10 nearby islands with the mainland of Kochi, the commercial hub of Kerala. The project is envisaged with 38 jetties, and 78 boats, covering a distance of 76 km. The non-polluting, battery-powered boats are noise-free and produce low waves, unlike traditional ferries. Boat re-charging facilities have been provided in all terminals. Costing Rs 7 crore each, these boats can go up to a speed of eight nautical miles per hour and feature aluminium-catamaran hulls. Each boat can carry 100 passengers with a seating capacity of 50.

Existing boat services

At present, Kerala Water Transport Department is operating around 200-odd boat services on different routes, which mainly connect Vypin islands to Kochi. Over the years, however, these services have been criticised for several reasons such as for not being punctual and offering poor passenger safety.

Apart from the water transport department, there are stray services operated by private players.

Project cost, stakeholders

The Kochi Water Metro project has been conceived as part of the Kochi Metro Rail service. In 2016, the cost of the water metro had been pegged at Rs 747 crore, but the estimate has been revised to Rs 1136 crore. Boats have been constructed by Cochin Shipyard Limited.

The first phase of commercial operation

The commercial operation of water metro boat services will begin on April 26. The initial operation will be on two routes; High Court to Vypin and Vyttila to Kakkanad stretches. Eight boats will be part of the service along these two routes, at an interval of 15 minutes from 7 am to 8 pm.