Kochi Water Metro: Cost-effective, Disability-Friendly & More. India’s 1st Water Metro Has Many Specialties

India is going to get its first water metro today as PM Narendra Modi At the end of the day Kochi is all set to flag off the Water Metro. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had earlier called the Kochi Water Metro a “dream project” of the state that would accelerate the growth and development of Kochi.

Vijayan in a Facebook post had said that with the launch of the flagship project in the port city, set up at a cost of Rs 1,136.83 crore, another assurance given by the LDF government to the people of the state was being fulfilled.

In a tweet, he had said that exciting times are ahead for the transport and tourism sectors of the southern state.

“World class #KochiWaterMetro takes off! It is the dream project of Kerala to connect Kochi and its 10 surrounding islands. KWM with 78 electric boats and 38 terminals costing Rs 1,136.83 crore, funded by GoK and KfW,” he tweeted.

KfW is a German funding agency.

Kochi Water Metro

As the first phase of the project, Service from High Court-Vypin Terminal to Vytila-Kakkanad Terminal to start soonthe Chief Minister said in his Facebook post.

He said that cost-effective and safe travel in air-conditioned boats would help people reach their destinations without getting stuck in traffic jams.

Passengers can travel on both the Kochi Metro and the Water Metro using the “Kochi 1” card. The CM said that they can also book tickets digitally. inefficiencies, and it has 38 terminals and 78 electric boats that make up the water metro.

towards stability

The expansion and development of Kochi and the entire state of Kerala has been greatly influenced by water transport. 90% of Keralites used small boats to reach the mainland, where they could sell their goods, around the turn of the 20th century. However, after the construction of new roads and bridges, they gradually began to convert to road-based transport. Less than 3% of local people now travel by inland waterways, according to a reports By Cities Development Initiative for Asia,

This paradigm shift in Kochi has led to increased traffic congestion and air pollution, made worse by unplanned urban development, a sparse road network and the city’s nearly doubled private vehicle ownership rate, the report said.

According to a report, this comprehensive urban water transport system, the first of its kind in India and South Asia, will connect the island cities of Kochi to the mainland via a fleet of 78 battery-powered electric hybrid boats that travel along 38 contemporary terminals. Are. and 15 routes of total 76 km. The remaining 78 boats will carry 50 passengers each, of which 23 will have a capacity of 100.

The boats use Lithium Titanate Oxide (LTO) batteries, which can be charged in approximately 15 minutes using a specially developed charging mechanism. LTO batteries have a lifespan of between 7 and 10 years, making them not only the longest lasting commercially available batteries in the world, but also the safest.

‘Disability friendly’

KMRL Chief General Manager Shaji PJ told CDIA that the Kochi Water Metro “has a lot of green initiatives attached to it, it is a disabled-friendly system, and it is connecting with other transport modes. We are a step ahead in the shipping industry.” As such, we are already incorporating a number of innovations into the system.

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