Aimed at extending Water Metro services to more locations in the Greater Kochi area, Kochi Water Metro Limited (KWML) has completed installation of floating pontoons at four more terminals.
Thus, terminals at South Chittoor, Eloor, Cheranalloor, and North Mulavukad are awaiting operation of ferries from the High Court terminal since the pontoons that help safe boarding and deboarding from ferries irrespective of tidal variations have been installed. These terminals have also obtained power supply and are ready to host the electric-hybrid Water Metro ferries, sources said.
KWML has been operating 12 ferries that it procured in 2023 from Cochin Shipyard in the High Court-Vypeen, High Court-Bolgatty and Vyttila-Kakkanad corridors. Their average daily patronage has been hovering at 5,500. The delivery of another 11 ferries is expected to be completed in phases, by June. From among this, a ferry whose construction is over is undergoing trial, following which it would be handed over to KWML, they added.
On work on terminals (from among the total 38, including in the isles off mainland Kochi), the sources said over 80% of work on the crucial Fort Kochi terminal is over. A marine platform has been readied here, considering its proximity to the sea. Its roof is being readied, while floating pontoons will be installed in another 10 to 15 days.
With the work being awarded for the Mattancherry terminal after two rounds of retendering, site preparation jobs are under way. Similarly, three test piles are over, while shore protection work is on, and the site that was identified for pre-casting work is being readied. Dredging and related works are under way as part of preparing the ‘terminal area’. Dredging has become a necessity since the premises of the proposed boat terminal are heavily silted, the sources said.
The State Water Transport department has been citing shallow waters as the reason for the delay in restoring its ferry service to the terminal at Mattancherry.
Works on terminals at Willingdon Island and Kumbalam are in their last stages, while power connection is awaited. Once the Kumbalam terminal is ready, ferries from Vyttila can operate to High Court jetty through Netoor, Thevara, and Thykoodam and later on to Edakochi where terminals are envisaged. Civil works are progressing for terminals at Kadamakudy and Paliamturuth, it is learnt.
The shipyard was hitherto citing supply-chain issues as the reason for the delay in delivering ferries. KWML was banking on delivery of more number of ferries to extend its operations to South Chittoor and Mulavukad North, by the month-end.
