When Sanha Fathima, a class 6 student from Malappuram's Manjeri, booked a ticket for a ride on the Kochi Water Metro on Monday, little did she know that she would soon become the chosen one. As Sanha crossed the entry gate, the Water Metro crossed a milestone with its passenger footfall touching the 10-lakh mark.
The Water Metro, a project of the Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL), achieved the milestone in six months since its commissioning. Sanha boarded a boat from High Court Junction terminal to Vypeen along with her family. KMRL director (finance) S Annapoorani and Kochi Water Metro chief operating officer Sajan P John gave away a gift to the girl.
The Water Metro will complete six months on October 26. It operates services from High Court Junction-Vypeen-Bolgatty terminals and Vyttila-Kakkanad terminals with 12 boats. "The fact that 10 lakh people used the services in such a short span is evidence of its acceptance among the public," a KMRL statement said.
The Water Metro is set to start a service from High Court Junction to South Chittoor next. The preparations for this are in the final stage. The construction of the terminals at Fort Kochi, Mulavukad North, Willingdon Island, Kumbalam, Kadamakudy and Paliyamthuruth is also progressing fast.
The KMRL is aiming to finish the works on the Fort Kochi terminal in December. The tender procedures for the construction of the Mattanchery terminal are also progressing, the company said. The minimum fare for a trip at Water Metro is Rs 20. Regular passengers can get weekly or monthly passes. Passengers can travel on Kochi Metro trains and Water Metro using the Kochi 1 card.
