India will get its First Water Metro Today (On 25th April 2023)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will officially inaugurate the project to boost the spirit of easy living in the cities.
In 2019, Cochin Shipyard Limited obtained environmental clearance for the Water Metro project, beginning with eight electric hybrid boats. The Government of Kerala and a German firm called Kfw funded the project, which is set to include a total of 78 electric boats and 38 terminals. The Water Metro project cost around ₹1,137 crores in total.
Kochi Water Metro will connect with 10 ports, which can be in or around the city. The two main terminals will be High Court and the Vypin terminal. The minimum fare for commuting will be around ₹20 and may rise to ₹40. Regular passengers can also buy passes based on weekly and monthly commutes. One can travel in Metro Rail and Water Metro using a Kochi One Card. One can book their tickets through the ticket window at the terminals and the QR method.
Mint recently published a piece of news that Metro will be running on Lithium Titanite Spinel Batteries. The Water metro is made to be eco-friendly, and safe for the differently abled as well. The wide window will offer an exotic view of Kerala's water bodies.
The project will provide a different travel experience and facilitate a safe and affordable traveling experience for people. Tourism will also boost through its introduction.
Water transport is known to be more energy efficient than other means. Hence, the initiative will be a big step towards eliminating pollution and reducing the traffic in the city.