The travel issues faced by the inhabitants of the vast city of Kochi, with its abundance of canals and ponds, will soon be alleviated.
The water metro has reached Edakochi from Kakkanad, passing through Vyttila, Kumbalam and then connecting all areas straight through the High Court, passing through Cheranallur and Elur via MulavuKad Panchayat, covering a total of 73 km of water connectivity.
When the water metro is connected between the ten islands that are most difficult to travel in Kochi, more than one lakh islanders will also benefit from this water travel wonder. This project is not just a wonder for Kochi Water Metro Limited India, but for the entire world, and all of this comes at a cost of 1136.83 Kochi Mathipu. Kochi Water Metro Limited is a joint venture between the Kochi Metro Company and the Government of Kerala, with the Indo-German Financial Corporation also providing long-term financial support.
In the first phase of this connectivity, 6 stations are planned, with a total of 38 stations to be completed. These stations will not just be a simple boat jetty but will also include lounges with state-of-the-art facilities. The boats used for this water metro are not the usual ones that ply the Kochi Bay but rather, are 23 air-conditioned hybrid boats in Metro’s green and white colors running on battery and diesel generators. These are India’s first aluminum passenger boats built by Cochin Shipyard, which are entirely hybrid. Once the water metro is fully operational, there will be 23 large boats and 55 small boats in service.
The Kochi Water Metro was waiting for the green light to be ready for service for the past year. It is the first water metro service in India, with a length of 76 km connecting ten islands. The first phase of the project will start on the 25th, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi pressing the button on the remote at 11 am at the Thiruvananthapuram Central Stadium, after which the first electric boat will begin service from the High Court Terminal to Vypin. This water transport system consists of noiseless AC electric boats, with an investment of 1136.83 crores, and world-class terminals, making it the first of its kind in the country.
The boats will run every 15 minutes during the morning and evening, with services at 20-30 minute intervals during other times. After that, the service will also begin on the Vyttila-Kakkanad route. The first phase of the service will have 8 boats and 8 pick-up-drop terminals. Eight electric powered aluminum Catamaran boats are ready for service, with a total of 23 large boats, 55 small boats, and 38 terminals costing 819 crore in the project. The service covers 15 routes with a total length of 76 km, with terminals at Vyttila, Kakkanad, High Court, Vypin, Bolgatti, South Chittoor, Elur, and Cheranallur. The Water Metro will solve the traffic problems of the ten islands and boost tourism.
Kerala’s Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has welcomed the launch of the first phase of the Kochi Water Metro project. The project aims to connect 38 terminals on ten islands through 78 water metro boats and will significantly improve the state’s transportation and tourism infrastructure. The first phase will cover the High Court-Vypin and Vyttila-Kakkanad terminals, reducing travel times and improving the quality of life for residents.
Water Metro features:
- A double-hull boat that can carry up to 100 passengers.
- The cost of a boat is 7.6 crores.
- A 10-15 minute charge can run for an hour and a half.
With the inauguration of one of Kerala’s proudest projects, the Water Metro, a big change will be created in Kochi’s transport sector and Kerala’s tourism sector. The Water metro will operate on 15 routes with 38 jetties being constructed. Cochin Shipyard manufactures water metro boats that can accommodate up to 100 people, making them disability-friendly and equipped with the best safety systems.
Electric-Hybrid boats are used for the Water Metro service, and they can be powered by electricity or a diesel generator in case of emergency. The battery can be charged in 10-15 minutes, and there is a facility to charge passengers even when boarding and disembarking if needed. The Watermetro has already won the “Goodies Electric Boat Award,” an International award for electric boats, for a boat completely built in Kerala.
The first service will be operated on the High court- Vipin route with a fare of Rs.20. The service will start on the Vyttila-Kakkanad route from April 27, with a fare of Rs.20. The service is available from 7 am to 8 pm. The maximum fare of the Water Metro will be Rs. 40 per route.
When the project is completed, Kochi will have complete connectivity. There will be 15 waterways for travel.
The people of Kochi have been waiting for months for the Water Metro Adiyapatham to be inaugurated. The delay is due to the expectation of the Prime Minister’s arrival. Boats, five terminals, and crew are ready after trials, and the inauguration will take place on the Ernakulam-Vypin route. The stations on the Ernakulam-Vypin route are High Court Station from Ernakulam, from there to Vypin, and from Vipin to Ernakulam Station via Embarkation Jetty. The second phase will be from Vyttila to Kakkanad. From Vyttila to Infopark via Erur Kakkanad, this route will be connected with Edakochi via Thaikkudam and Kumbalam Nettoor through long-distance boat service in the future. There will be no service on the waterway after Edakochi. Hybrid boats traveling from Edakochi will reach Fort Kochi via Thoppumpady and Mattancherry. From there, there will be a service to the High Court route, which is the first stage. There will be another route from Vyttila, and Ernakulam Station will be reached through a parallel route via Thevara yard, Nettoor, which is just before Edakochi. These routes and Yatra services have been prepared initially. Connectivity services may change as stations and routes become operational.
The returning passenger boats from Ernakulam will pass through High Court, Bolgatti, and Thanthonni Puram stations, while the service crossing Ponnarimangalam station will have a station at Mulavukad Hospital. From there, the route will continue through Moolampally station, Mulavukad North, Njarakal, Kadamakkudy, Pyala, Aster MediCity Station, Amrita Hospital Station, and Varapuzha via Erur, providing comfort and saving time for 10 islanders, including Njarakkal, Vypin, Wellington Island, Ilakunnapuzha, Kadamakudi, and Chariyamturuttu.
Currently, there are six operational stations out of a total of 38 stations for the water metro. The water metro terminal, located behind the High Court, looks similar to an airport terminal and provides International scale facilities. To board the water metro, travelers should use a ticket with a QR code or Metro Rail Travel Card. The boats are green and white colored hybrid boats that run on batteries and diesel generators and are air-conditioned, with wide glass windows for a beautiful view of the lake. Each boat has a seating capacity of 50, and a total of 78 boats will be launched for the journey, each able to carry 100 passengers and 3 crew members.
India’s first aluminum passenger boats were manufactured by Cochin Shipyard and named Ezhimala, Vizhinjam, Bekal, Beypore, and Muziris. The boats can be charged every hour and take 10-15 minutes to fully charge. Super charging stations will be located at ten terminals, and the boats have systems like thermal cameras and echo sounders. The project will be complete in a few years, connecting all 10 islands of Kochi through 76 km of boat connectivity with 38 stations. Kochi residents can bid farewell to their travel woes thanks to the Kochi Water Metro Limited.
