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New Indian Express
30-07-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Kochi water metro to connect Kadamakkudy islands; launch expected ahead of Village Fest
KOCHI: For long, commuting has been an issue faced by visitors flocking to the scenic Kadamakkudy islands located on the outskirts of the city. But come this year's Village Fest there, dubbed as Kadamakkudy Carnival, the Water Metro authorities promise to launch ferry services to the serene island that recently captured the imagination of none other than industrialist Anand Mahindra. 'The construction work of Kadamakkudy terminal is in the finishing stages. We aim to finish the remaining works, mainly that of floating jetties, in another three months and start the service. We're slated to receive another vessel from the Cochin Shipyard next month, which will be deployed in the section,' Sajan P John, chief operating officer (COO), told TNIE. The authorities are planning to operate services to Kadamakkudy-Paliyamthuruth from High Court or Mattancherry water terminals. 'What we aim is to provide connectivity to Kadamakuddy island. Hence, similar passenger ferries will be deployed. However, we expect more tourists than normal passengers since there are only small numbers of residents in the islands. In the Fort Kochi section too, a lot of tourists are availing the normal service. We'll redefine the route either from High Court or Mattancherry terminal as per demand. Now the plan is to start the service from the High Court initially,' the official added. However, KWML won't be operating back-to-back services as in the case of Fort Kochi or Kakkanad sections.
New Indian Express
06-06-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Water Metro going green; betting big on solar power
KOCHI: In a major push for sustainable transportation, the Kochi Water Metro Ltd (KWML) has embarked on an ambitious project to set up a solar farm at Purakkad, in Alappuzha, besides implementing rooftop solar-panel systems at its terminals and buildings. This is in line with the ambitious plan of the Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL), its parent, to go carbon neutral by 2030. 'We've identified 90 acres of land in Purakkad. We expect the revenue department to hand over the land soon. The plan is to set up a CIAL-model solar farm that will produce 17 MW of power daily. Once we start generating electricity, we will enter into a trade off with the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) through its power grid scheme, whereby an equivalent amount to power will be made available in Kochi to fuel the entire water metro fleet,' Sajan P John, chief operating officer (COO) of KWML, told TNIE.
Time of India
31-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Kochi Water Metro mishap sparks fresh safety audit demands
Kochi: Commuters on a Kochi Water Metro boat had a narrow escape on Saturday morning when the vessel lost control and collided with a stationary Ro-Ro boat at Vypeen jetty. The incident occurred around 10.30am as the Water Metro boat was attempting to dock at the Vypeen terminal, which is located adjacent to the Ro-Ro jetty. Although no passengers were injured, the collision has sparked renewed concerns over the safety of water transport operations in the area. According to Kochi Water Metro Limited (KWML), the boat had been operating on its regular route from the High Court terminal to Vypeen. As it approached the jetty, a strong undercurrent caused the vessel to drift backward and lightly hit the anchored Ro-Ro boat. "Neither vessel suffered major damage, and there was no inconvenience to passengers. With the help of another boat, the passengers disembarked at the jetty. Service was temporarily suspended until the current's strength decreased, after which the operations resumed," stated a press note issued by KWML regarding the incident. Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL), which oversees KWML, has initiated a detailed investigation into the incident. KWML CEO Sajan P John said the preliminary probe points to an unusually strong undercurrent during low tide as the reason for the mishap. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trading CFD dengan Teknologi dan Kecepatan Lebih Baik IC Markets Mendaftar Undo "Boat operators rely on visible signs on the water surface and scientific tidal data from our control centres to assess such risks. The driver involved was a trained and experienced operator," he said. This is not the first time such an incident has occurred in the area. In Nov 2023, two Water Metro boats slightly grazed each other while slowing down near the same location, causing the emergency exit on one of the boats to open automatically and triggering alarms that led to panic among commuters. Though no injuries were reported, the incident raised similar safety concerns. The area has a history of maritime accidents. In 2015, a major collision between a fishing boat and a passenger ferry claimed 11 lives near Vypeen. Several civic groups, including the Kochi Metro Passengers Association, have demanded a safety audit. "Three different jetties—SWTD, Water Metro, and Ro-Ro—operate adjacent to each other at Vypeen, increasing the risk of accidents during berthing," said association member Ebencer Chullikkadu. Launched in April 2023, the Kochi Water Metro is India's first integrated water transport project and recently won a national award for the 'Best Green Transport Initiative'.
Time of India
24-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Four more cities selected for Water Metro feasibility study
Kochi: As part of Centre's plan to replicate Kochi Water Metro model in other parts of the country, four more cities in three states were selected for conducting a feasibility study on implementation of the project. As per central govt's directive, KMRL earlier decided to conduct feasibility study in 17 locations, and now four more locations were added. The proposed locations are Cuttack and Chilika in Odisha and Tezpur and Dibrugarh in Assam. With the addition of new locations, the study is now being conducted in 21 urban centres in Kerala, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Goa, Odisha, Maharashtra, Gujarat, West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Union territories: Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep. According to Kochi Water Metro Ltd (KWML) authorities, preliminary works of feasibility study commenced in Prayagraj, Varanasi, Ayodhya, Patna, Ahmedabad, Surat, Jammu & Kashmir, Goa, Tezpur, Dibrugarh, Cuttack, Chilika, Kolkata, Dhubri, Mangaluru, Kollam, Alappuzha, Mumbai and Mumbai Vasai. Phase I of feasibility assessments is complete in Prayagraj, Varanasi and Ayodhya. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Scarlett Johansson, 40, Shows Off Her Real Size In A New Vacation Photos 33 Bridges Undo "The studies — led by expert civil and marine engineers — assess quality of waterbodies and nature of water flow, population density, potential docking locations, traffic data and propulsion feasibility. Stakeholder consultations are held at each proposed site and tenders were issued for supporting traffic studies," says a press note issued by KWML. A feasibility study for implementing Water Metro in Mumbai was completed and submitted at the request of Maharashtra govt. KMRL managing director Loknath Behera said Water Metro model will bring sustainability in public transport and decongest roads at an affordable cost. "World Bank also expressed its interest in partnering with the initiative," he said. KWML informed that Cochin Shipyard will deliver one more Water Metro boat soon. "So far, 19 boats were delivered and trial runs for one of the remaining four are currently under way. This vessel is expected to be operational within six weeks," says the press note.
