KOCHI: Water metro services connecting Thoppumpady and Edakochi are expected to become operational by 2027, while desilting works in Mattancherry will be taken up within the next two to three months to tackle service disruptions caused by low tide, Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) chairman and MD Loknath Behera said at a face-to-face programme organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Tuesday.
Stressing that development must prioritise transport infrastructure, Behera said coastal regions with canals and backwaters should naturally give importance to water-based mobility. He said studies and public participation were essential to shape services that meet people’s needs.
Referring to the frequent cancellation of water metro services due to low tide, Behera said desilting in Mattancherry would begin in the next two to three months.
“Once completed, it will help ensure smoother and more reliable Water Metro operations,” Behera said, adding that more services would be introduced as part of the network’s expansion. He also underlined the need to restore Mattancherry’s historic commercial importance, noting that improved transport connectivity could help revive traditional trade and economic activity in the area.
ICCI president Raj Kumar Gupta highlighted the need for affordable and dependable services. “What we need is simple but crucial: a regular, reliable boat service that common people can afford; a service that doesn’t stop when the tide is high or low, and one that connects seamlessly with Water Metro jetties nearby,” he said.