KOCHI: The Kochi Water Metro Limited (KWML) will suspend its services for a few hours on Tuesday in view of the Champions Boat League being held on the waters near Marine Drive.
Services from the High Court terminal to Fort Kochi, Vypeen, South Chittoor and Mattancherry will be suspended from 1.30 pm to 5 pm.
This will be a blow to holidaymakers who have descended on the city for the year-end festivities, many of whom prefer the water metro to move conveniently to Fort Kochi and Mattancherry, where the bulk of the celebrations are.
The KWML has been, for the past many days, experiencing pressure in the wake of a higher-than-anticipated crowd this holiday season. A long queue was seen extending well past the metro building and onto its premises for days in a row.
Tuesday’s suspension of services will put even more stress on it on resumption, and on other transport options, most notably the passenger ferries run by the State Water Transport Department (SWTD).
“Our services will run as usual to Fort Kochi and Mattancherry. In fact, we have improved the frequency, increased the number of trips, and even brought an additional boat in to cater to the holiday rush,” an SWTD official said.
However, passenger ferry service to Mulavukad will remain suspended for the afternoon-evening hours. Water metro service of Mattancherry-Willingdon Island will continue as usual.