Background

Kerala, better known as God’s Own Country, finds its place on 13th slot among the list of New York Times’ 52 places to visit 2023. The Kerala backwaters are a unique experience and beautiful ecosystem that supports a rich diversity of flora and fauna. Vembanad lake, one of the largest lakes in India, stretches across many districts of Kerala, forming the largest brackish lagoon. It is thriving on tourism activities, which is one of the major economic activities of the state, touching the life of people. Kochi Kayal, which is part of Vembanad Lake, encompasses a number of islands spread across the Greater Kochi region and are part of the City of Kochi. Kochi is the commercial capital of the state of Kerala that houses one of the busiest major ports in western India, which is close to international shipping channels due to its geographical location on the Indian peninsula.

The Islands of Kochi are thickly populated, culturally inclusive, and the islanders depend on the City of Kochi not only for earning their livelihood, but also for trade, business, health-care, education, etc. The primary means of their transport were traditionally waterborne, with a range of vessels from local canoes known as “vanchy”, to diesel powered boats till the end of the last century. Traditional boats “Kettuvallom” were used to transport goods by the local traders too far away interiors and distant towns. With the development of connecting bridges and roads in the nineties, transport largely shifted to motor vehicles, and with economic advancement, the tendency was being shifted to use of private vehicles for their transportation needs. The water transport slowly started deteriorating, and most of private run boats disappeared from the routes, and only vintage type government supported initiatives survived, that too in a dilapidated state. However, few of the islands, which are not yet connected by any bridges and roads, remained as islands of limited reach.

The ever increasing private vehicles at fast pace, along with the weakening of one of the most efficient public transport modes, among a similar trend in the main land poised fresh challenges to the city of augmenting the rush in city roads, ever increasing traffic jams, slow pace of movement, accidents, higher pollution levels and chaos in parking. As on today, there’s one vehicle for every two persons in the state as a whole, and when it is on city skirts this is even a higher figure. Need for a sustainable system of transportation was the need of the hour for the city dwellers, who traditionally used public transport by more than 50% of their transport needs. Kochi Metro Rail was one of the first steps towards a mass transport system in the city that started its operation in 2017, credited as one of the fastest built metros in India and the most modern.

Along with conceptualization of Kochi Metro in the main arterial road, the need for an integrated transport system with all modes of public transport has been identified as important as a comprehensive solution for the city and improving the life standards of the people of Kochi. Use of abundant water bodies, by rejuvenating the water transport system was one of the best solutions, towards a socially inclusive development of the islanders and city dwellers. Idea of Kochi Water Metro was born as a natural outcome of inclusive thinking.

Best Possible Solution

Kochi is rich with the backwaters having major portions navigable for water transport. Utilizing these natural resources for an integrated water transport will enhance the public transport system, providing a comfortable, reliable and sustainable would be the cheapest and practical solution for decongesting the roads and improving connectivity of islanders. Kochi Water Metro is envisaged as a climate friendly integrated water transport system connecting the island agglomeration of Kochi city with the main land. The project is connecting the island people from 10 islands to the main land, thus improving their socioeconomic status immensely with better jobs, trade, accessibility and better livelihood. The project is expected to give a boost to the tourism sector as well as the result in an overall development of the areas. Vembanad lake is a notified environmentally vulnerable area and any such solution should be without absolutely causing any pollution.

Salient features

The Water Metro system consists of 78 boats, 38 jetties, which we call water metro terminals, located on 10 islands over 76 route kilometers in the Vembanad Lake (back waters of Kochi). The state of the art air-conditioned boats will provide safety, comfort, reliability, punctuality and will be affordable to a large section of people just like the Kochi Metro Rail system. The Project offers inter-modal connectivity between Jetties, Bus terminals, and Metro networks. The De-jure owner of the project is the Government of Kerala. The cost of the project is Rs 747 Crores, out of which 579 Crores are funded by German funding agency KfW under IndoGerman financial cooperation.

Also Read | Kochi Water Metro: Revolutionizing Urban Transport with Eco-Friendly Solutions!

The water metro shall have two types of boats 100 pax and 50 pax capacities. Construction of 23 Nos 100 Pax Boats was awarded to Cochin Shipyard; 7 of which are already delivered. These boats are made of Aluminium Catamaran hull (twin hulls) and an FRP superstructure. These boats employ innovative cutting-edge design and are equipped with latest Lithium Titanate Oxide (LTO) batteries with long life and quick charging capabilities; these are the safest batteries commercially available. Complimentary chargers are developed with electric vehicle charger philosophy with CCS 2 protocol that can accommodate any kind of battery architecture within its range. The chargers are capable of charging the boats in about 15 minutes. These are the largest capacity chargers made in India so far. The boats are constructed under stringent regulations of the classification societies – DNV, IRS and Kerala Inland vessel Rules. Boats have the latest navigation and communication equipment ensuring safety of passengers, and are capable of monitoring and controlling from one state of the art Operating Control Centre. The unique design of the boat creates almost nil waves and does not disturb the aquatic flora & fauna and having a very efficient hull that minimizes the energy required to propel. The project has a target to use 100% electrical energy from renewable sources. An automatic boat location system enables the boats to be tracked from the Operating Control Centre (OCC) and centrally monitored. Every compartment of the boat is being monitored by CCTV system, which is transmitted lively to the OCC.

Four emergency response cum workboats are strategically placed, which can reach any boat on any spot within 10 minutes on an emergency or assistance to the fleet.

Major Impacts

The unprecedented rains in yesteryears resulted in great floods of Kerala in the recent years, making itself evident to the fact that the climate change can create a devastating effect on mother earth. Climate friendly transportation as envisaged in Kochi Water Metro therefore assumes significance not only as a local solution to a transport problem of a small city, but as one of the larger solutions demonstrated to the world for its sustainable future. Water Metro is expected to commute 34000 passengers daily in the first phase decongesting the roads, reducing the carbon footprints of the city of Kochi. A reduction of 44000 tons of CO2 emission per annum is expected when it is fully operational, and achieving its green energy targets, contributing to the ambitious targets of the country to become carbon neutral, saving the planet Earth.

The state of the art Boat Jetties (Water Metro terminals) are specially designed as disabled friendly with concrete floating pontoons, bringing the differently abled people into mainstream and ensuring their transportation rights. The passenger counting system (PCS) installed in the terminals will ensure that at any given time, the boat will not cross the maximum allowed number of passengers and prevent overcrowding. It would be a game changer with a unique mobility solution with modern infrastructure connecting the greater Kochi region with one ticket for all modes of public transport.

With 7 boats in hand, Kochi Water Metro is already the largest fleet of electric boats in the world serving organized urban water transport under a single command. Water Metro has won the prestigious International Gussies award for Best commercial passenger electric boats for the year 2022, and is widely acclaimed as a game changer in the water transport arena.

The Water Metro employs the majority of its staff through Kudumbasree, a Govt of Kerala initiative for poverty eradication and women empowerment program, in line with Kochi Metro. The face of Water Metro will, thus be the women’s power. Acknowledging the LGBT rights, Metro has employed transgender people, which was the first time in the country and Water Metro will be extending this as well.

Water Metro is expected to be a major tourism booster in and around the beautiful islands of Kochi, with improvement of world class connectivity, while protecting the Flora and Fauna with silent, state of the art air-conditioned boats.

Scalability of the intervention

The water metro systems can be replicated and adapted in about 40 cities in the country with navigable water bodies. The Water Metro Project is one of the pioneering efforts under Prime Minister’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, proving the world that India can lead the world with technological solutions and innovations. It has already become a benchmark in the country for Connecting Lives, Connecting Miles.

Views expressed by: Sajan P. John, Chief Operating Officer, Kochi Water Metro Limited.

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