Kochi Corporation persists with bid to rope in KMRL for ro-ro service
The Kochi Corporation continues to pursue an agreement with Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) to take over the operation of its fleet of roll-on roll-off
The Kochi Corporation continues to pursue an agreement with Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) to take over the operation of its fleet of roll-on roll-off (ro-ro) vessels, despite the agency’s reluctance. KMRL, which operates the Kochi Water Metro, has so far resisted taking over the service. The civic body has been exploring the option of replacing the current operator, Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation Ltd (KSINC), which has consistently reported losses since the launch of the service six years ago. Councillors across party lines have criticised the management of ro-ro operations. KSINC has attributed its mounting losses to fares that have remained unchanged since the era of the old jhankar services, even as operating costs, including fuel costs, have nearly doubled since the ro-ro service was introduced.
“We continue to hold discussions with KMRL, which remains hesitant for reasons such as the overdue dry-docking of the two existing ro-ro vessels and the public criticism it may face if it assumes responsibility for such a commuter service. Getting KMRL to directly take over ro-ro operations remains our top priority. At the same time, we are working on forming a special purpose vehicle to engage another agency to run the service,” said Mayor V.K. Minimol. Sources in Kochi Water Metro Limited (KWML) confirmed that talks were still at a preliminary stage, with no decision taken since the service is currently managed by another government agency.
“We follow a philosophy of transportation, which requires supporting infrastructure. If we were to take over ro-ro operations, additional facilities may have to be built. The Water Metro operates in a closed loop supported by requisite infrastructure,” they said. The civic body’s 2026–27 Budget has proposed the creation of a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to manage the service, drawing criticism from the Left Democratic Front (LDF), which has dubbed the move a step towards privatisation. Discussions on forming an SPV have been ongoing since 2020, but little progress has been made. The deadline for dry-docking the two ro-ro vessels, originally due last December, was extended by two years.
In the meantime, the Kochi Corporation has added a third vessel to its fleet, though it has yet to begin commercial operations. Ms. Minimol said the new vessel would be launched once a fresh operating agreement is finalised.
The BriefWire