The expected commissioning of the entire fleet of 23 electric-hybrid, 100-passenger ferries in the first phase of the Kochi Water Metro project is likely to overshoot the revised deadline of December, reportedly due to delays in procuring components from abroad.
The inordinate delay in constructing 38 terminals in the mainland and 10 isles that the ferries were to call at — for what Kochi Water Metro Limited (KWML) termed as slow pace of work by a contracting firm — has made matters worse. Besides, a contracting firm had recently filed a police complaint against a sub-contractor regarding alleged inferior quality of materials for the critical Fort Kochi terminal.
Ever since the project’s launch in April, a total of one million commuters had travelled in the 12 ferries that are operating on three routes.
Delivery by March
A high-ranking official of the Cochin Shipyard said it had so far delivered a total of 12 of the 23 ferries to KWML, while another three ferries were ready for delivery. “Another four or five can be delivered by December, while the remaining can be handed over by March 2024,” he added.
Sources in the yard said the pandemic played spoilsport with the plans to procure components from abroad for the ferries that have been termed as the first of their kind to operate in Asia under a common command and control system.
KWML has been operating the 12 ferries from High Court to Vypeen and also to Bolgatty Island, apart from in the Vyttila-Kakkanad corridor. The impending delivery of three ferries will help extend the operation from the High Court terminal to South Chitoor, Cheranalloor, and Eloor, where the terminals are ready, by November. They can be operationalised once the floating pontoons (which help commuters safely board ferries, irrespective of low or high tide) are readied,” said sources in the agency.
Another eight terminals are under different stages of construction, the key ones being at Fort Kochi, Mulavukad North, Willingdon Island, Kumbalam, Kadamakudy, and Paliamthuruth. The contracting firm has been directed to fast-track work on the Fort Kochi terminal, so that it can be commissioned as expected by December.
“We hope to substantially improve patronage in the ferries once they begin to operate on the High Court-Fort Kochi route since regular commuters can make optimal use of the weekly and monthly discount schemes,” they added.
Mattancherry terminal bid
Reacting to concerns of inferior quality work by a sub contractor, KWML sources said its personnel and those of the general consultant had been directly supervising the work round the clock.
“They also send us daily work reports. With Mary Matha Infrastructure Private Limited not beginning terminal construction work for the critical Mattancherry terminal, the work was ‘descoped’ from the list of terminal projects that had been awarded to the firm. The work was subsequently tendered, and technical evaluation of bids is under way.
The tender for a package to build around 15 terminals will be floated shortly.
In the meantime, the Mattancherry Water Metro Action Council has demanded speedy completion of the Water Metro terminal in the vicinity, which tourism stakeholders, traders and others have been eagerly looking forward to.
“Ferry connectivity holds the key to reviving tourism and commercial activity in the heritage locale. KWML and the State Water Transport department (SWTD) must also ensure frequent dredging of the waterbody, so that ferries can safely berth. The SWTD too must bank on floating pontoons to overcome problems posed by shallow waters,” said Arafat Nazar, council secretary.
