New Delhi: Kochi is set to launch India’s first water metro service — a one-of-its-kind project that would connect 10 small islands surrounding the port city and provide secure, economical, and budget-friendly travel to people, while also boosting tourism.
The Kochi Water Metro will be inaugurated Tuesday by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a two-day trip to Kerala.
In the first phase, the water metro will operate with eight electric-hybrid boats on two routes: High Court to Vypin and Vyttila to Kakkanad. Single journey ticket fee on the former route is Rs 20 while on the latter, it is Rs 30. While the first ride will start on 26 April, the Kochi One app can be used to book mobile QR tickets.
Talking about the water metro, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said in a post on Facebook Saturday that once completed, the metro service will connect 38 terminals across 10 islands.
“With the launching of the flagship project set up at a cost of Rs 1,136.83 crore in the port city, one more assurance given to the people of the state by the LDF (Left Democratic Front) government is being fulfilled,” Vijayan said.
He further mentioned that both (currently operational) terminals and boats are disabled-friendly and pointed out the water metro’s specialty — the “floating pontoons that can stay at the same level as the boat” while passengers get on or off.
“The electric-hybrid boats being used for the service have already gained international attention. Kochi Water Metro had also won the Gussies Electric Boats Award, the international award for electric boats,” Vijayan stated.
The air-conditioned battery-operated boats will have large windows which will offer great views of Kerala’s famed backwaters, according to reports.
The project has been funded by the Kerala government and German agency KfW.
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Affordable and accessible
In addition to single-journey tickets, Kochi Water Metro will offer weekly, monthly, and quarterly passes as well as discounts on various trip passes as an initial offer.
A weekly trip card with 12 journeys will cost Rs 180, while a monthly trip pass valid for 30 days with 50 travels will cost Rs 600. The quarterly pass would cost Rs 1,500 and allow travellers to take 150 rides in 90 days, according to the state government.
The water metro service will begin at 7 am and run until 8 pm at first. During peak hours, boats will run every 15 minutes from High Court to Vypin. The anticipated journey time on both routes is around 20-25 minutes.
Passengers using the Kochi One card can ride on both the Kochi metro and the water metro, Vijayan said on Facebook.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
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