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- Published: April 25, 2023 13:28
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a visit to Kerala, flagged off India’s first water metro in Kochi on Tuesday. The water metro connecting 10 islands around Kochi will redefine the way people commute in this region as the battery-operated electric hybrid boats will provide seamless connectivity to thousands of dwellers here.
The Kochi Water Metro is touted to be a gamechanger mode of transport for the residents here as the city remains surrounded by many islands and these 10 islands, being connected by Water metro, are densely populated.
Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the Water Metro project will not just give impetus to transport & travel in the city but will draw many tourists also. The water metro launched with 8 hybrid electric boats in operation, is a said to be dream project of Kerala govt and is being aided by German firm KfW in this.
The boats are being indigenously manufactured by Cochin Shipyard Limited. Going further, the project will have 78 electric boats with about 38 terminals.
Kochi Water Metro is one of its kind project that connects 10 islands around Kochi through battery-operated electric hybrid boats for seamless connectivity with Kochi city.
?Watch this video to know more about the newly inaugurated Kochi Water Metro Project⬇️ pic.twitter.com/hN2bzcKf3g
— PIB India (@PIB_India) April 25, 2023
Facts & Fare of 1st Water Metro
Kochi water metro will build connectivity to at least 10 islands. The first phase of project joins High Court-Vypin terminal and Vyttila-Kakkanad terminal.
The project, estimated at a cost of ₹747 crore will see 15 water inland routes connecting a bigger group of islands, covering a distance of 78 km.
Ticket has been priced at Rs 20/person. Maximum price stands capped at Rs 40. Passengers can also avail weekly & monthly passes, costing about Rs 180 & Rs 1500 respectively.
One can book water metro tickets online as well as offline. For booking tickets online, you will require ‘Kochi 1’ card and the same can used on Kochi metro for seamless experience of customers. Customers can also use Kochi One App for digital ticket booking.
Kerala CM is quite optimist & upbeat about the one-of-its kind water transport and says that the model could also be replicated for other India cities, dominated by water bodies.