Kottayam: If all goes well, Kerala would get its first amphi bus that can travel on land as well water bodies.
The feasibility study of the first amphi bus has been submitted to the Kerala government.
The water transport department has also submitted a report, seeking to form a technical committee as new rules have to be formulated for the amphi bus.
It was recommended that the committee should have members from water transport, water resources, harbour, RTO, and Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT).
Even the boat jetties would have to be modified to suit the needs of amphi bus.
The ship technology department of the CUSAT had held the study regarding the amphi bus.
The study was based on Cherthala-Perumbalam-Panavally-Vaikom route and Muhamma-Kumarakom route. It has been handed over to the government.
“The amphi bus would be built in the country based on foreign technology," said Shaji V Nair, the director of the water transport department.
The same procedure was followed for the first solar boat 'Aditya'.
Vega to hit the shores by July
The high-speed luxury boat, Vega, is likely to conduct services along Kottayam-Alappuzha route by July. The construction work of the boat at Aroor dock has reached the final stage, and now only interior works are pending.
“The boat service will benefit both ordinary passengers and tourists," the director of the water transport department said.
The 120-seater boat will have 80 non-AC seats and 40 AC seats. After the harbour department’s registration procedures, Vega entered the waters.
Vega can go up to a speed of 12 nautical miles per hour and will take the same time as the Alappuzha-Kottayam bus to reach its destination.
Authorities are planning on another high-speed luxury boat that will conduct services along the Vaikom-Ernakulam route too.
