KOCHI: Kochi Corporation is fast tracking its measures to introduce Roll-on Roll-out (Ro-Ro) services, the boats have double entrances, to replace the jangar services between Fort Kochi and Vypeen islands.
K J Sohan, standing committee chairman for Town Planning at the corporation, said that tender proceedings for the Ro-Ro services will begin soon.
“The corporation is zoning in the technicalities of the Ro-Ro services. The tender proceedings will begin soon,” said K J Sohan.
The civic body expects to change the face of water transportation in West Kochi with the introduction of modern ro-ro services. It has already initiated steps to procure around `2.75 crore needed to implement the system. Sources said that the civic body has received assurances from the officials of KFW, the German government owned bank, who had visited the city recently.
The induction of Ro-Ro has been listed as one of the projects which needs to be speed-tracked as part of the ‘Mission Kochi’ scheme of the corporation. While the present jangar services can carry about 20 cars and mini trucks and about 50 two wheelers, the Ro-Ro can ferry about 100 vehicles. Consequently, the civic body expects it to give a short in the arm for both cargo and passenger traffic from islands to mainland.
The jangar services had also been in trouble frequently as the private agencies which run them stop services without prior notice. The corporation assures to do away with such hiccups in the water transportation front by operating the Ro-Ro services directly.
At present, the only Ro-Ro service operating in Kochi is that of Cochin Port Trust.
The CPT uses Ro-Ro to carry container trucks between Bolgatty and Willingdon island. According to corporation, the introduction of modern advanced technologies like Ro-Ro services would also significantly decongest the road traffic between the mainland and the islands.