Kochi Water Metro set to boost service frequency with 15 new ferries
Kochi Water Metro Limited (KWML) will shortly award the tender for the procurement of 15 electric boats that will help increase service frequency on the
Kochi Water Metro Limited (KWML) will shortly award the tender for the procurement of 15 electric boats that will help increase service frequency on the popular High Court–Fort Kochi and Vyttila–Kakkanad routes. Apart from Fort Kochi and Kakkanad, some of the 15 new ferries will also be deployed to connect the mainland with Edakochi, Kadamakudy, Kumbalam, and Thevara. “The induction of new vessels would help connect more islands with mainland Kochi. We decided to opt for electric ferries after gaining confidence from operating the electric-hybrid ones for over three years,” said Sajan P.
John, chief operating officer (COO), KWML. At present, KWML operates 20 electric-hybrid ferries in the Greater Kochi area. Once 15 more ferries are inducted, the number of Water Metro ferries in operation in the region will rise to 38, with three more from the first batch expected to join the fleet in the coming months. The pre-bid meetings have concluded, and the qualified firms will submit their bids by Monday (August 10). Each electric ferry will be able to carry 100 passengers. “The induction of more ferries will enable KWML to operate a ferry every 10 minutes during peak hours on the Fort Kochi and Kakkanad routes, compared with the current frequency of one ferry every 15 to 20 minutes.
To facilitate the increased frequency, more floating pontoons will be installed at the Vyttila and High Court terminals, as well as at the South Chittoor ferry terminal,” Mr. John said. Design change The new ferries will come with outboard motors, which can be lifted to remove floating ropes and other debris that may become entangled in them. The first batch of ferries came with inboard motors, requiring workers to go beneath the ferry to clear such floating debris, a time-consuming process. The rest of the design will remain much the same, he added.
The Kochi Water Metro project was envisaged as the waterway extension of the Kochi metro to provide metro rail-like comfort, reliability, and safety to approximately one lakh islanders.
The BriefWire