The Kochi Water Metro ferries are very safe to commute since they are designed as per internationally accepted safety norms. That they come with an AI-enabled passenger counting system further helps ensure that no more than the permitted 100 passengers board each ferry, Loknath Behera, Managing Director of Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL), has said. He was speaking to reporters here on Monday against the backdrop of the boat tragedy at Tanur.
The number of passengers who board each ferry is further physically verified. As for life-saving equipment, there are 120 life jackets in each ferry, including those that are tailor-made for children.
A centralised control mechanism helps in easy identification of mechanical and electronic defects in the ferries. There is also a ₹5-crore-worth rescue boat that is capable of rushing aid at 20 knots (36 kmph) speed within minutes of getting information. Engineers of the Cochin Shipyard which built the ferries help attend to repairs, if any, he said.
