Kochi Water Metro lays down the marker, to be replicated in 21 cities across the country

Lauded as an efficient urban infrastructure in the latest economic survey of the Centre, KWM is addressing the travel woes of residents of ten islands around the city.

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kochi Water Metro (KWM) has set a cost effective and environment friendly urban transport model to the whole nation as the project is being replicated in 21 places across the country.

While feasibility studies in ten cities in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Assam, Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir, were already completed, the KWM also won the tender for  preparing the detailed project report (DPR) for water metro service in Mumbai. Feasibility studies in ten other cities are progressing.

Lauded as an efficient urban infrastructure in the latest economic survey of the Centre, KWM is addressing the travel woes of residents of ten islands around Kochi city - like Vypeen, Mattancherry and Bolgatty.

As many as 125 trips are run daily catering to over 6,000 passengers since its launch in 2023 April. Reducing traveling time from around one hour by road to 20 minutes by water, that too at almost half the cost, and reducing the carbon emission with the use of 100-seat electric-hybrid boats are the highlights of KWM, which is integrated with the Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL).

Minimising land acquisition also makes water metro an attractive option for urban transportation, says the economic survey.

"In a short span of time water metro has drawn national and international attention as a replicable model for modern urban water transport, which  also  enhances the quality of life of the people," KMRL-KWM managing director Loknath Behera told DH.

KWM had won 'honorable mention' from the New York-based Institute for Transportation and Development Policy in the sustainable transport awards announced recently.

Winning the tender for carrying out the detailed project report for water metro in Mumbai is considered as a major milestone for KMRL-KWM.

"We're aiming at completing the DPR soon so that the Maharashtra government could start the work this year itself," said Behera, who was a former Kerala state police chief.

Meanwhile, the KWM is also in the process of expanding further by setting up new terminals as well as commencing water metro to Kochi international airport from the nearby Aluva town. The expansion plans also include the introduction of hydrogen boats.