KOCHI: With metro rail making rapid strides, can water metro be far behind? Kochi’s Water Metro is seeing rising commuter patronage, with total passenger ridership crossing the 50-lakh mark.
The occasion was celebrated when Australian-Malayali couple Naina and Amal bought tickets from the High Court terminal to travel to Fort Kochi on Saturday afternoon. Naina received a gift from Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) managing director Loknath Behera.
This comes even as Kochi Metro is fast turning into a popular mode of transport in the city. Metro rail passenger numbers hit a new high in August with the network registering a monthly ridership of over 34 lakh, beating the previous high of 32 lakh recorded last December. “The fact that water metro services were able to carry so many passengers by operating on short routes in 29 months is due to the high-quality travel experience,” Behera pointed out. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Kochi Water Metro on April 25, 2023.
The project execution and service excellence of Kochi Water Metro have resulted in the Union government taking steps to replicate the model in 21 other places across the country. Inquiries have even been received from foreign countries. The World Bank has also expressed willingness to join hands with the service, which has also bagged several awards for operational excellence.
Currently, services are being operated using 20 electric hybrid ferries. The construction of terminals at five places is in the final stages. The Mattancherry and Willingdon Island terminals will be operational soon, while new terminals being constructed at Kumbalam, Paliyamthuruth and Kadamakkudy will be functional within a few months.
As many as 125 trips are operated daily from 7.30 am to 9 pm on five routes spanning 24km. The water metro, which handled 10 lakh passengers in the first 107 days of its operations, hit the 20-lakh mark over the next 95 days. Passenger numbers touched 30 lakh in the next 185 days, and 40 lakh in another 160 days.
FREIGHT SERVICE IS NEXT IN LINE FOR KOCHI METRO
KOCHI: In a major initiative, Kochi Metro is set to launch a freight service, on the lines of the successful operation in Delhi, facilitating the quick transport of non-perishable packed goods during off-peak hours. “The service aims to provide a hassle-free solution for businesses, offering a new way to quickly and efficiently exchange goods.
This will not only generate additional income for KMRL, but also bring the business community closer to the metro system,” KMRL managing director Loknath Behra said. It is learnt that the KMRL has already invited orders from businesses. Fares, timings, and other details for the service will be finalised soon based on the response from businesses. Metro authorities have made it clear that the service will be operated without negatively impacting passenger experience.
The metro trains will have dedicated cargo space, enabling small businessmen, vendors, and hawkers to seamlessly transport their goods across the city. The move follows the Union government recently advocating freight transport using metro facilities.