Thiruvananthapuram: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off Kochi Water Metro on April 25. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday termed the Water Metro a "dream project" of the state that would accelerate the growth and development of Kochi. Sources close to the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) confirmed the official launch of the water metro.
With the launching of the flagship project set up at a cost of Rs 1,136.83 crore in the port city, one more assurance given to the people of the state by the LDF government is being fulfilled, Vijayan said in a Facebook post.
In a tweet, he said exciting times are ahead for the southern state's transport and tourism sectors.
"The world-class #KochiWaterMetro is setting sail! It is Kerala's dream project connecting 10 islands in and around Kochi. KWM with 78 electric boats & 38 terminals cost 1,136.83 crores, funded by GoK & KfW," he tweeted. KfW is a German funding agency.
As a first phase of the project, service would begin soon from High Court-Vypin terminals to Vyttila-Kakkanad terminals, the Chief Minister said in his Facebook post.
The cost-effective and secure journey in air-conditioned boats would help people to reach their respective destinations without being stuck in traffic snarls, he said.
Passengers can travel in both Kochi metro and water metro using the "Kochi 1" card. They can also book the tickets digitally, the CM added.
The Water Metro will begin by sailing 8 electric-hybrid boats in two routes namely Highcourt-Vypin and Vytilla-Kakkanad. The single-journey ticket fare on these routes will be Rs 20 and Rs 30 respectively.
Besides the single-journey tickets, the Water Metro will also have weekly, monthly and quarterly passes. As an inaugural offer, several discounts are being offered for various passes:
- A weekly trip pass which allows a maximum of 12 trips with 7-day validity will be available for Rs 180
- A monthly trip pass which allows a maximum of 50 trips with 30-day validity will be available for Rs 600
- A quarterly trip pass which allows a maximum of 150 trips with 90-day validity will be available for Rs 600
Commuters can also use the Kochi One Card for travelling on the Kochi Water metro. Mobile QR tickets could be booked through Kochi One app.
