KOCHI: Last mile connectivity from the Kakkanad boat jetty to the nearest bus stop on the Seaport-Airport Road is the root cause of the public's reluctance to utilise the ferry service for daily commute, said a study carried out by Kochi-based think-tank Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR).
The study report comes out with a number of measures that can popularise the ferry service.
The study was carried out the CPPR team led by Dhanuraj D, chairman CPPR, and the team comprising Deepthi Susan Ponodath, managing associate, CPPR, and research assistants Gnanavel M, Jofi Francis, Nibras K T, Nimish Sany and Nidhi. The Kakkanad boat jetty is the final destination of the ferry service operating from Vyttila boat jetty.
There are four stops in between, namely Arattukadavu jetty, Eroor jetty, Thuthiyoor jetty and Irumpanam jetty. The boat travels a distance of 9.1 kilometres each trip and carries up to 45 passengers and 8 motor vehicles per trip with a fare of `8 per passenger and `25 per vehicle. There are 8 services from Vyttila to Kakkanad starting at 7 am and ending at 5.50 pm.
"The existing boat jetty at Kakkanad is situated towards the east of the Chitrapuzha Bridge on the Seaport-Airport Road. The passengers alighting from the ferry at Kakkanad are required to walk more than 400 metres to reach the nearest bus stop. The jetty of the Inland Water Authority is located towards the west of the bridge. There is ample space available near this jetty for a new jetty," said the report. This will ensure the bus stop is at a walking distance of about 100 metres, thereby making it more convenient.
Feeder Services
Share Auto: The distance from the Kakkanad boat terminal to Infopark is around 3 kilometres and the average auto fare is about Rs 35 to Rs 40. If share autos are introduced in this stretch with the passenger capacity of 3, each passenger will have to spend less than Rs 10 to Rs 12 per trip. Fare can be collected individually from the passengers. Minibus: The provision of minibuses with higher passenger capacity than auto-rickshaws may prove to be a better alternative to share-autos as they can carry a significant number of commuters at the same time. The number of minibuses or share autos required is estimated by calculating the Passenger Car Unit (PCU- 2) during the peak hours of 8 am to 10 am and 4 pm to 7 pm.
New boat jetty near KINFRA
The provision of a new boat jetty near KINFRA will benefit the commuters to Infopark as well as serve as a connectivity hub for the upcoming Kochi Smart City. The location of this boat jetty, if established, will be at close proximity to Infopark such that the commuters will have their respective destinations at a walking distance. This would require the extension of the existing service route around 3.5 kilometres, which also includes portions which need to be dredged for the passage of boats.
Other recommendations
The study recommends for popularising the ferry, the frequency of the service should be enhanced. "The ferry timings should be such there is a minimum of 3 trips during the morning and evening peak hours catering to the working population. The feasibility of increasing the frequency of the service should be examined further as technical difficulties may arise from running the boat engine continuously," the report said. Similarly, the ferry service route can be extended by offering connectivity to the major boat jetties in Ernakulam like Fort Kochi, Thevara, etc. after examining its feasibility. Another drawback is lack of awareness among the public about the ferry service.