Kochi is on track to become India’s first city to get ‘water metro’ that will act as a feeder system to its metro rail network and will be worth Rs 10,000 crore.
Titled ‘Kochi Water Metro’, the project was envisaged in 2016 as an attempt to connect the suburbs in Greater Kochi with the mainland through numerous inland water channels. Helmed by the Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL), the project will act as a unique feeder system to the existing elevated metro rail line that runs from the outer suburb of Aluva, through the heart of Kochi to Thripunithura.
The first phase is set to open in December 2019 with 23 ferries as part of the first phase. These ferries can seat up to 100 passengers and will connect 38 boat jetties on 16 different routes. Additionally, in subsequent phases, 55 boats with a passenger capacity of 50 will be rolled into commercial operation. The modern, state-of-the-art ferries with WiFi access, will have a steel body and an aluminium hull. These ferries will gradually be powered by solar energy in the future.
