India's first water metro system has recently begun its operations in the city of Kochi, located in the southern state of Kerala. The water metro is a significant addition to the city's public transportation system and will offer a faster and more convenient way for commuters to travel.

The water metro is a project undertaken by the Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) and is being implemented with the support of the Government of Kerala and the German development agency, KfW. The project aims to provide a sustainable and eco-friendly mode of transportation to the residents of Kochi and reduce the congestion on the roads.

The water metro will operate a fleet of modern and air-conditioned boats, which will ferry passengers across the backwaters of Kochi. The boats are designed to accommodate up to 100 passengers at a time and are equipped with GPS navigation systems, fire safety equipment, and life-saving devices. Additionally, the boats are powered by eco-friendly electric motors, which will significantly reduce the pollution levels in the backwaters.

The water metro will operate on two routes initially, with a total of 16 stations. The first route will cover a distance of 10.6 kilometers and connect the islands of Vyttila, Kakkanad, and Infopark. The second route will cover a distance of 8.6 kilometers and connect the islands of Fort Kochi, Mattancherry, and Vypeen. The water metro is expected to transport around 50,000 passengers daily once it reaches full capacity.

The water metro is a step towards the modernization of public transportation in India and a significant boost to the tourism industry in Kochi. The project has created many employment opportunities for the local population and is expected to have a positive impact on the economy of the region. The successful implementation of the water metro project in Kochi has also paved the way for similar projects in other cities in India.

Kochi Water Metro

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. It is integrated with the Kochi Metro and serves as a feeder service to the suburbs along the rivers where transport accessibility is limited.

The construction work started in 2016 and its first route between Vytilla and InfoPark was inaugurated in February 2021 by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. 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. It is also described as possibly the largest electric boat metro transportation infrastructure being implemented in the world.

Overview

Two variants of modernized air-conditioned and Wi-Fi-enabled catamaran passenger boats were proposed for the project. The electric propulsion boats have a passenger capacity of 50 and 100 and 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 the latest safety and communication devices. Small battery-operated boats ply on the narrow lanes. 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 are covered with retractable sheds to provide comfort during the rainy season.

As part of the infrastructure, Intelligent Navigation System and Operation Control Centre (OCC) are also proposed and will be integrated with the city’s intelligent transportation system. The Automatic Fare Collection system being implemented by the Kochi Metro will be extended to a water transport system that facilitates traveling the metro train and the boat using the same ticket.

Apart from ferry service, the project also contemplates the development of new and existing access roads to jetties and islands. Two boatyards are proposed, at Thevara and at Pizhala. The project also seeks to improve livelihoods in the areas along the backwaters and the islands in Kochi. Tourism is also proposed to be promoted as part of the project. Cochin Shipyard delivered the first of 23 electric ferries in January 2022.

Phase 1 consists of 3 lines out of which the Vytilla--InfoPark was inaugurated on 15 February 2021. 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 are also expected to reduce by 44,000 tonnes once the project is fully operational.

Routes and jetties

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 environmentally friendly. Water Metro is expected to solve the travel issues of the islanders of Willington, Kumbalam Vypeen, Edakochi, Nettoor, Vyttila, Eloor, Kakkanad, and Mulavukad. 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

Funding

The total cost of the Water Metro project is ₹1,137 crore (US$140 million). The KfW Development Bank will be providing EUR 85 million as long term soft loan and the Government of Kerala will be contributing ₹102 crore (US$13 million).

Operations

Fare collection | The minimum ticket price for the metro system is 20 rupees and the maximum ticket charge is 40 rupees. The weekly pass is available at 180 rupees whereas the monthly pass costs 600 rupees and the quarterly pass costs 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.

Frequency | In the first phase, the service will be provided from 7 am to 8 pm. The service frequency is 15 minutes during peak hours.

Management | Kochi Water Metro Limited has been formed as a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) with 74 percent shareholding of the Kerala government and 26 percent by Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL). It is operated and maintained by the KMRL.

Infrastructure

Kochi Water Metro has two types of boats that 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 modes. 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 the first of a kind in the world to have such an extensive network of battery-powered boats. The boat uses a 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.

There are arrangements to automatically monitor the movement of the boat from the operating control center at the Vyttila hub. A thermal camera is also equipped to assist the boat operator during night travel. The boats are also equipped with radars. The passenger counting system is used to enter Kochi Water Metro boats to prevent the number of passengers from getting increased more than the designated level. Floating pontoons which can stay at the same level as the boats during high tide and low tide are the specialty of Kochi Water Metro. The rescue boats of the metro system are able to start rescue operations within 10 minutes in case of any kind of accident.

Stations | Presently in service during phase 1

• High Court
• Vyttila
• Vypin
• Kakkanad

International attention

In November 2022, the International Maritime Organisation officials visited Kochi as a part of their Green Voyage 2050 project and praised the Kochi Water Metro project for its unique initiatives. "The purpose of our visit is to learn about the impressive achievement of Kerala in terms of the water metro, a pioneering initiative in sustainable urban water transport and show others across the world that it is possible to have commercial viability, environmental sustainability and societal impact through such services. We hope that the water metro service will be extended to other parts of the state as well”; said IMO Department of Partnership and Projects chief Jose Mathieckal.