Kochi Water Metro is an integrated ferry transport system serving the Greater Kochi region in Kerala, India. It is the first water metro system in India and the first integrated water transport system of this size in Asia, which connects Kochi’s 10 island communities with the mainland through a fleet of 78 battery-operated electric hybrid boats plying along 38 terminals and 16 routes spanning 76 kilometers.[2] It is integrated with the Kochi Metro and serves as a feeder service to the suburbs along the rivers where transport accesibility is limited.[3]
The construction work started in 2016 and it's first route between Vytilla and InfoPark was inaugurated in February 2021 by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.[4] It was officially inaugurated and opened to passengers by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 25 April 2023. Kochi Water Metro is expected to become fully operational by 2035 with a daily commuter-count of 1.5 lakh passengers.[5] It is also described as possibly the largest electric boat metro transportation infrastructure being implemented in the world.[6]
Overview
Passengers inside the Kochi Water Metro boat
Two variants of modernised air-conditioned and Wi-Fi enabled catamaran passenger boats were proposed for the project. The electric propulsion boats has a passenger capacity of 50 and 100 operate at an optimal speed of about 15 kilometers per hour, with the potential to increase up to 22 kilometers per hour. The boats are equipped with latest safety and communication devices. Small battery operated boats ply on the narrow lanes.[7] The headways vary between 10 minutes to 20 minutes across various routes. The jetties are proposed to have floating pontoons with automatic docking system technology. The floating pontoons is covered with retractable sheds to provide comfort during rainy season.[8]
The phase 1 consists of 3 lines out of which the Vytilla--InfoPark was inaugurated on 15 February 2021.[11] The Vypin--High Court line began service on 26 April 2023 and the Vyttila--Kakkanad line began service on 27 April 2023. Phase 1 is expected to be fully operational in 2024 and on becoming so, it is expected to serve 34,000 passengers a day. The entire water metro system is expected to become fully operational by 2035 with a daily ridership of 1.5 lakh passengers. The annual carbon emissions is also expected to reduce by 44,000 tonnes once the project is fully operational.
Routes and Terminals
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Route Map of Kochi Water Metro
Kochi is mostly surrounded by backwaters and bordered by the Arabian Sea. It is interconnected by hundreds of waterways, which offers a way to make the public transport system much more accessible and environment friendly. Water Metro is expected to solve the travel issues of the islanders of Willington, Kumbalam Vypeen, Edakochi, Nettoor, Vyttila, Eloor, Kakkanad, and Mulavukad.[12] In the first phase, the water metro started sailing on two routes, High Court to Vypin and Vyttila to Kakkanad with eight electric-hybrid boats.[13]
Operations
Fare collection
The minimum ticket price of the metro system is 20 rupees and the maximum ticket charge is 40 rupees. Weekly pass is available at 180 rupees whereas monthly pass cost 600 rupees and quarterly pass cost 1500 rupees. Single journey tickets and various travel passes are available from the ticket counters in the terminals. Water Metro can be accessed using the Kochi Metro One card. It is also possible to travel using the mobile QR code booked through the Kochi One app.[15]
Infrastructure
Kochi Water Metro has two types of boats which can carry 100 passengers and 50 passengers at a time. These boats have won the Gussis Electric Boat Award, an international award for electric boats. The boats and terminals are designed as fully disabled friendly. Kochi Water Metro has the innovation of a boat that can be operated in battery and hybrid mode.[18] These boats are built in a hybrid system and are completely eco-friendly. Boats can be powered by a diesel generator in case of emergency. Kochi Water Metro is also first of a kind in the world to have such an extensive network of battery powered boats. The boats uses lithium titanate oxide battery that can be charged very quickly and meets high safety standards. It can be charged in 10-15 minutes and there is a facility to charge the batteries even when the passengers are boarding and disembarking. The speed of the boat is 8 knots in battery mode and 10 knots in hybrid mode.
