By Krishnan Nayar
NEW DELHI, 25th April, 2023 (WAM) — India’s first “Water Metro” service was inaugurated today by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Kerala’s port city of Kochi.
The service is integrated with Kochi’s metro rail network and constitutes a significant enhancement to the infrastructure of the city with an estimated population of 2.1 million, according to India’s last census.
Passengers can travel on both Kochi’s surface metro and water metro using a single “Kochi-1” card. Tickets can also be booked digitally.
Modi said in his speech that the Water Metro service will ease Kochi’s traffic problems and promote backwater tourism. “This experiment being implemented in Kerala will become a model for other states and the country as well,” the Prime Minister added.
Kerala’s Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that Kochi Water Metro, once fully operational, will reduce 44,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per annum. “Thus it will be a major boost to the government’s efforts to transform Kerala into a carbon neutral state.”
The service is made up of 78 boats that are hybrid, battery-powered, air-conditioned and outfitted with facilities for the disabled. It connects 10 islands with the mainland of Kochi.
The project is financed by the Kerala government and the German development funding agency, Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau.