Kochi Water Metro model goes national: feasibility reports ready for 18 cities

Kochi Water Metro Limited (KWML) has prepared a feasibility report for water metro systems in 18 cities, officials said, indicating that the Kochi model of ferry-based public transport could be replicated in other urban centres in India and abroad.

At Kadamakudy and Paliamthuruth, the Water Metro terminals are ready for commissioning, while work on the approach roads leading to them is in its final stage, the officials said. Piling work is progressing at the ferry terminal proposed near Subhash Bose Park in the city.

Of the 23 Water Metro ferries, 20 are currently in service. Cochin Shipyard is expected to hand over another vessel in December, while the remaining two ferries are expected to be delivered by June 2028. That schedule means the fleet will reach its full strength of 23 vessels only after mid-2028.

Tenders have been floated to procure 15 more ferries, each with a capacity of 100 passengers.

Since the service began in April 2023, 77.70 lakh passengers have travelled on Water Metro ferries, according to official figures.

The Kochi Water Metro is the water transport arm of Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL). Its battery-powered ferries link a network of islands in the Kochi backwaters with the mainland, and are meant to give residents an alternative to road travel. The system is intended to work alongside the metro rail network, with interchange facilities at select terminals.

Ferry services in Kochi's backwaters have long been used by island residents for daily travel. The Water Metro was conceived to modernise that network with larger vessels and fixed schedules.

The proposed terminal near Subhash Bose Park is intended to serve the city's central area, where land for transport infrastructure is scarce.

Water metro projects are being examined at a time when several Indian cities are looking at inland waterways to ease congestion on roads. Inland water transport still accounts for a small share of urban mobility in the country, although the Centre has expanded its national waterways programme in recent years.

A feasibility report usually assesses passenger demand, route alignment, terminal infrastructure, capital and operating costs, and environmental impact before a project is cleared. The officials did not give a timeline for completing the 18-city studies, or indicate how many of them might move to the next stage.

A feasibility study will also be carried out for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Pre-feasibility studies have been conducted in Penang, Malaysia, and on the Mekong River in Vietnam, the officials said.

The progress of the projects was reviewed at a meeting on Saturday chaired by G. Priyanka, District Collector, who is also holding charge as managing director of KMRL.