KOCHI: Steps will be initiated for the construction of a boat terminal for the Water Metro project with the state government issuing a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to hand over 123 cents of land at Vytttila Mobility Hub to Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) for the project.
The KMRL is expected to float the tenders soon for the construction of an advanced boat terminal at Vyttila Hub, the major integration point of various modes of transport including road, rail and water.
The state government had earlier issued the order and instructed the agency to follow the guidelines and conditions put forth by the government. “KMRL is the agency which will be implementing the phase-II development of Vyttila Mobility Hub. The agency had asked for 1.23 acres of land at Vyttila Hub for the development of a boat terminal. The meeting convened by the Chief Secretary has recommended the allotment of land. The government has analysed the proposal. After assessing that the agency has put forth the request for the land as per the DPR, it was decided to transfer the land,” read the government order.
Vyttila Mobility Hub is the special purpose vehicle (SPV) floated for the management of the Vyttila Hub project. The SPV now owns 26.53 acres of land at Vyttila. The KMRL will construct the biggest terminal of the water metro project at the Vyttila Mobility Hub, which will spread over 40,000 sq ft. Another ferry terminal will come up at Fort Kochi. The designs for the terminals were selected through a competition organised by KMRL. The design submitted by a team comprising Rajiv Babu and Ameena Hamza from Chalakkudy was selected for the Vyttila Terminal while the design by Studio Homosapiens, based at Panampilly Nagar, will be used for the Fort Kochi terminal. Under the R747-crore Water Metro project, a total of 78 boats will ply on 15 routes covering a distance of 76 km through Kochi backwaters.
The VHMS, with the support of KMRL, is planning a R590-crore development for Vyttila Hub in the second phase. The French agency - Agence Française de Développement (AFD) will lend R472 crore on a long term loan basis. The existing bus terminal at Vyttila will be converted into an advanced mobility hub, interconnecting various modes of transport.
78 boats will ply on 15 routes covering a distance of 76 km through Kochi backwaters