KOCHI: The Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) is set to help the Goa government implement its long-pending water taxi project. As part of it, an expert team from Kochi is slated to visit the coastal state next month.
The move is part of the KMRL’s ongoing efforts to conduct feasibility studies and help in replicating the Kochi Water Metro project — the country’s first — in 17 locations across India.
“The aim is to complete the feasibility studies of the 17 locations and submit reports in six months. We will try to implement a system that’s most suitable to the particular region, based on requirements. Our team will visit Goa next month to study the feasibility of the water taxi network,” said Sajan P John, chief operating officer, Kochi Water Metro Ltd. The Goa government had identified four key routes for the water taxi project — Panaji-Divar-Old Goa, Panaji-Chorao Island, Vasco-Margao-Cortalim, and Calangute-Baga-Candolim.
The KMRL team will assess potential routes, infrastructure requirements and operational models across the inland water bodies of Goa, a popular tourist destination. The report will be submitted within three months, said sources.
The Inland Waterways Authority of India had entrusted the KMRL with preparing the feasibility report on the proposed urban water transport system in 17 locations across the country. Sources said the Union government is set to add another seven cities to the list.
The KMRL team has already conducted site visits to Prayagraj, Varanasi and Ayodhya, all in Uttar Pradesh, as part of conducting feasibility studies there.
Feasibility studies to be held in 3 phases
KMRL will conduct the feasibility studies in the 17 locations in three phases. The first phase will include Prayagraj, Ayodhya, Varanasi, Gandhinagar (Gujarat), Patna (Bihar) and Srinagar (J&K). The second phase includes Goa, Kollam, Guwahati and Dhubri (both in Assam), Kolkata (West Bengal), and Mangaluru (Karnataka). The final phase will cover Mumbai and Vasai (both Maharashtra), Alappuzha, Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands.
It has floated tenders to award the work to expert agencies. Successful bidders should submit the final report in 90 days (phase I) , 110 days (phase II) and 130 days (phase III).
The studies will include data collection (urban development plans, demographic patterns and previous reports) and cover feeder-service needs, primary traffic services and financial analysis.
“They should also prepare interim reports that include traffic surveys, travel-demand estimation, preliminary financial and economic assessment, prioritisation of routes based on FIRR (financial internal rate of return) and EIRR (economic internal rate of return) and also suggest the best alternative routes.
The initial factors that will be considered will be the capacity of rivers/water bodies, population and possible routes. The traffic-feasibility studies will be undertaken and a decision will be taken on which type of boats are suited for the particular location. Meetings will be held with all stakeholders regularly,” another top KMRL official said.
Kochi Water Metro is the country’s first water metro project, which, when fully operational, will provide connectivity to 10 islands over a 76-km-long network.