Uber Boat may criss-cross Kochi city’s backwaters

Uber has a team in India that can check our boats deployed for the Water Metro, says Loknath Behera

KOCHI: If things go to plan, Kochi backwaters may have an Uber Boat service, along the lines of one operating in the Thames River in London and Mumbai. Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) managing director Loknath Behera said he is exploring the possibilities to launch an Uber boat service here and is planning to propose it to the senior representatives of Uber in India. “Uber Boats can add to our tourism sector. Headquartered in California, Uber has a team in India that can check our boats deployed for the Kochi Water Metro for its service,” said Behera.

KMRL has received five electric boats from Cochin Shipyard for the water metro’s phase-1, which will begin in the High Court-Vypin route soon.

Behera discussed the proposal with International Maritime Organisation (IMO) officials who visited Kochi Water Metro on Monday. According to the information on its website, Uber Boat by Thames Clippers service has a huge footfall in London that stops at 24 piers between Barking Riverside Pier in the East and Putney Pier in the West.

To avoid the rush-hour hassle, service runs every 20 minutes throughout the day. The ticket price varies from zones, with the starting fare at 4.8 pounds (Rs 459) to a maximum of 22.3 pounds (Rs 2,134).

In 2019, Uber launched its boat service in Mumbai in association with the Maharashtra Maritime Board. It provides service to the city’s most popular coastal routes connecting the Gateway of India, Elephanta Islands and Mandwa Jetty, via speed boats with a seating capacity of 6-8 for Uber Boat and 10 plus for Uber Boat XL.

The rides start at Rs 5,700 rupees ($80) for a six or eight-seater boat and could go up to Rs 9,500 ($132) for larger vessels that can accommodate over 10 riders.

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