In first-of-its-kind initiative, the Kerala State Water Transport Department (KSWTD) is planning to introduce boats that can ferry bikes.
These boats will have exclusive capacity to accommodate two-wheelers and thus help decongest city roads.
In the initial phase, the boats will be introduced at the soon-to-be-commissioned boat jetty at Vyttila Mobility Hub within two months. The boats will ferry between Vyttila and Kakkanad. According to KSWTD officials, the system will prove useful for two-wheeler riders from Kumbalam, Aroor and Vyttila who travel to Kakkanad.
“Currently, all two-wheeler riders are forced to abandon their bikes outside boat jetties since our boats don’t have an option to ferry them. Owing to this, many two-wheeler riders avoid the service. We hope to solve the problem through the new initiative. Stability tests in this regard have been completed,” said KSWTD director Shaji V Nair.
Meanwhile, the Irrigation Department officials have been directed to build a terminal adjacent to the boat jetty at Vyttila so that bikes can be carried to the boats.
KSWTD Ernakulam Superintendent Joseph Xavier said a survey was conducted among the local people which proved that the number of ferry users will increase four fold if such boats are introduced. “It will help reduce time as well as petrol consumption. We are planning to charge `30 a head for the bike,” he said.
Vyttila Boat Jetty
District Collector P I Sheikh Pareeth said the work of the boat jetty at the Hub will be completed within two months. “The Irrigation Department has been entrusted with the completion of the work. We are thinking of conducting the services from Vyttila Mobility Hub to Kakkanad,” he said.
The Collector added that more boats will be introduced in this route in the coming months.
“We have asked the KSWTD officials to consider introducing speed boats with a speed of 10-15 nautical miles. Currently, the KSWTD boats only have a speed of 5-6 nautical miles. The Kerala State Inland Navigation Corporation has been notified to introduce small-sized yet powerful-and-spacious boats.