Kochi water Metro project 2023

The Kochi water metro project envisages the development of 15 identified routes, connecting 10 islands along a network of routes that span 78 km with a fleet of 78 fast, electrically propelled hybrid ferries plying to 38 jetties. More than 1,00,000 islanders are expected to benefit from the water metro. It is envisaged to be a socially inclusive transport system than being just a transport service with focus on improved livelihoods through commercial property development and tourism-based initiatives.

The metro project will start with eight electric hybrid boats and eventually comprise 78 electric boats and 38 terminals. The Water Metro will connect 10 islands, in and around the port city of Kochi. In the first phase, the water metro service will begin from the High Court-Vypin terminals and Vyttila-Kakkanad terminals. The Water Metro project costs Rs 1,136.83 crore and it will be funded by the Government of Kerala and Germany's KfW Development Bank.

The Kochi Water Metro Project intends to introduce modern, energy efficient, environment friendly and safe boats with low wake and draft characteristics at a high frequency to increase ridership.

The Kerala backwaters are a network of brackish lagoons and lakes lying parallel to the Arabian Sea coast (known as the Malabar Coast) of Kerala state in southern India, as well as interconnected canals, rivers, and inlets, a labyrinthine system formed by more than 900 kilometers (560 mi) of waterways. Kochi is the largest city in the south Indian state of Kerala and the second largest along India’s western coastline, after Mumbai. In Kochi’s case, thanks to its location on the lower west coast of the Indian peninsula, it is less vulnerable to storm surges or cyclones compared to cities on the eastern coast of the country. The city sits within a complex estuarine system comprising Lake Vembanad and the many rivers flowing into the lake, including the Periyar and Muvattupuzha rivers.

Kochi is abundantly blessed with waterways with over 1,100kms of waterways available. However, only 40kms out of these are considered navigable for motor boats since, according to the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) regulations a minimum depth of 2m is mandatory for their operations. The currently operational water transport system such as their routes, deployment of boats and its integration with the other existing modes of transport. State Water Transport Department (SWTD), operates the water transport in Kochi.

The various components involved in the Kochi Water Metro Project are:

• Boat Terminals and Access Infrastructure

• Boats

• Boatyards

• Dredging along the identified routes and terminals

• Systems – Navigation, AFC, PIS, VCS, CCTV and Operation & Control Centre

Refrence-https://kochimetro.org/water-transport

(GS-Paper 3 infrastructure)