Explained | How the Kochi Water Metro will improve islanders’ socio-economic status, boost tourism

The ₹1,136 cr Kochi Water Metro project that Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched remotely from Thiruvananthapuram on April 25 would see a fleet of 78 air-conditioned electric-hybrid ferries providing waterway connectivity

The ₹1,136 cr Kochi Water Metro project that Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched remotely from Thiruvananthapuram on April 25 would see a fleet of 78 air-conditioned electric-hybrid ferries providing waterway connectivity, from locales in the mainland to 10 islands that are spread over backwaters in the Greater Kochi area.

The project which is the first of its kind in Asia, was envisaged in 2014 as the waterway extension of Kochi Metro, in order to provide metro-rail-like comfort, reliability and safety to approximately one lakh islanders. Once all the ferries roll out, the Water Metro is expected to catapult Kochi to the league of select few global cities which have an integrated control system to monitor such a big fleet of ferries. Eight ferries have begun operating in two routes — High Court-Vypeen and Vyttila-Kakkanad, at frequent intervals.

Although the project’s primary aim was to establish sustainable water-transport connectivity from the mainland to the islands, officials of Kochi Water Metro Limited (KWML) — a company in which Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) has a 26% stake, are banking hope on the ferries also boosting the hitherto-untapped tourism potential of the islands. Direct waterway connectivity to the mainland and arrival of tourists would in turn improve the socio-economic condition of the around a lakh islanders, they say.

The modern ferry project is being seen as yet another crown on Kerala, which is recognised globally as among the must-see destinations. Once all 78 ferries are ready, they would link 38 terminals spread over 15 routes in a 76-km waterway corridor. The 100-passenger capacity ferries can attain 8 knots (15 kmph) speed in battery mode and 10 knots (18 kmph) speed in hybrid mode.

The project’s launch was delayed by over two years, due to hassles in importing components during the pandemic.

During this time, the electric hybrid ferries went on to win the iconic Gussies Electric Boat Award-2022 in the commercial ferry category. The award was instituted in memory of Gustave Trouve, a French electrical engineer who had 75 patents.

The project which is expected to lessen carbon emissions by 44,000 tonnes every year, is being funded by the State Government, mainly through a ₹908.76 cr loan availed from German lending agency KfW. The KMRL entrusted Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) with the task of constructing the first batch of 23 100-passenger ferries. The bidding process is underway to award the order for another 55 50-passenger ferries.