Kochi Water Metro by July? Hopefully...

After a couple of extensions in the deadline, Kochi Water Metro is now aiming to be operational in another four months, as the state government allocates I150 crore in the new budget

India’s first water metro makes special service through the Vyttila-Kakkanad stretch on Saturday.

KOCHI: The state budget announcement of Rs 150-crore allocation for the Kochi Water Metro has raised many eyebrows as the project has already been delayed for multiple reasons and why this non-starter is given so much importance again. However, ending speculation, the authorities have confirmed that the amount would be used for the ongoing works only, including the land acquisition, and that the service would be operational by the first week of July.

Sources said the availability of boats and beginning of operation are also dependent on the delivery from the shipyard. Four more boats have to be delivered by them to make the service operational, they said. Though 38 terminals and 78 vessels are planned for the entire project, only 19 terminals are planned in the first phase. Of these, three are now ready -- Kakkanad, Vyttila and Eloor. The additional funds needed for the project will be provided under Major Infrastructure Development Projects (MIDP), depending on the actual requirement for 2022-23.

Project status so far

• First powered electric boat ‘Muziris’ was built by Cochin Shipyard for water metro
• 23 This is the first of the 23 boats. It can accommodate 100 people (50 sitting and 50 standing) at a time
• The other vessels, which can accommodate 50 people each (25 sitting and 25 standing) will be delivered by the shipyard in November
• Construction of terminals ongoing in Vypeen, Bolgatty, High Court, South Chittoor and Cheranalloor and are expected to be completed in June
• Dredging completed on Vyttila-Kakkanad route and nearing completion on High Court-Vyttila route

IT corridor

• The announcement to acquire land on the sides of the national highways leading to the IT parks in the state and start IT projects will give a new impetus for the existing IT parks. Once operational, two IT industrial corridors will be developed from Infopark, Kakkanad
• Development of MC Road: Acquiring land for a parallel road will give momentum for the works of MC Road. Twenty-five per cent of the fund for acquisition has been earmarked in the new budget.
• 14.5 cr Boost for Cancer Research Centre: The first phase of the 360-bed facility that aims to make it an apex centre would be completed by the end of 2023 with an allocation of D14.5 crore.

‘Namesake announcements’

• Though the govt presented the allocation for water metro, the Opposition alleges its as an attempt to white wash as the government could not even support the ongoing projects, said district Congress committee president Mohammed Shiyas
• Vyttila Mobility Hub: The project was proposed to connect Kochi Metro and water metro, but other than the announcement, no major works have been carried out and it remains a mere bus connectivity hub
• Fort Kochi-Vypeen Ro-Ro boat: Though the budget has allocated D10 crore for the project, the Opposition points out that the project was already announced in the earlier budgets
• Kovalam-Kochi-Goa tourism hub: Though a tourism hub has been planned connecting the three destinations, cruise tourism in the city has been the least developed
• Kochi-Bengaluru industrial corridor: Though the land acquisition procedures were expected to be completed in December last year, the project is still limping. So, the newly announced J5-crore support raises doubts