Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to flag off Kerala's Vande Bharat Express in Thiruvananthapuram and launch the Kochi Water Metro transportation system. According to sources, the Water Metro's first phase of construction is complete, and the prime minister will dedicate it during his two-day visit to Kerala. Following trial runs, two services have been maintained available for use in the High Court-Vypeen and Vyttila-Kakkanad corridors.
According to sources, Cochin Shipyard would supply 23 battery-powered electric boats to Water Metro. The boats can hold up to 100 passengers and are completely air-conditioned. It takes 10 to 15 minutes to fully charge. It is capable of 10 nautical miles per hour of top speed. Last year, Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) received the first boat. Boat operations will be watched over by a control room at the Vyttila hub.
With 78 boats, the Kochi Water Metro connects 38 ports over a distance of 76 kilometres. 820 crore is the projected cost of the project. Of this, the KfW Development Bank of Germany loaned Rs. 760 crore. The state of Kerala will provide Rs 1.02 billion. According to authorities, this huge battery- powered boat service chain is a first for the world.
