Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday dedicated Kochi Water Metro to the nation. The project will connect 10 islands  through battery-operated electric hybrid boats for seamless connectivity with Kochi city. The project will boost the economic growth as well as the tourism in the region.

Addressing the gathering Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, the Prime Minister underlined that the Kochi Water Metro is a good example of a Made in India project. He also congratulated the Kochi Shipyard for the development of ports for the same.

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The Prime Minister further said that the project will benefit backwater tourism in the state apart from easing the traffic congestion in the city. He also expressed confidence that the Kochi Water Metro will become a model for the other states in the country.  

Earlier, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has called it as a “dream project” of the state. In a tweet, the Chief Minister said that exciting times are ahead for the southern state’s transport and tourism sectors.

First Commercial service of Kochi Water Metro:-

The Kochi water metro project has identified the development of 15 routes along a network of routes that span 78 km. As a first phase of the project, the first service will begin on Wednesday from the High Court to Vypin terminal and then on Vyttila to Kakkanad route on Thursday. Presently, only four terminals are ready for service. 

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Fare of Kochi Water Metro:-

The fare of the Kochi Water Metro has been made reasonable so that a common man can afford it. The minimum fare to board the Water Metro is Rs 20.

Significance of Kochi Water Metro:- 

The Kochi Water Metro project will benefit more than 1,00,000 islanders. The project will provide modern, energy efficient, environmentally friendly, and also enhanced the commuters experience. The project will make modern and cheap means of transport accessible for the people living in the nearing islets of Kochi. It will also provide intermodal connectivity between the bus terminal and the metro network. It will also help to achieve socio-economic growth and generation of employment opportunities for the locals.