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.
Safety training has been given to crew members, while announcements are made to create safety awareness among passengers. The safety measures are akin to those of the Kochi metro.
Kochi Water Metro Limited (KWML) Chief Operations Officer Sajan John said the movement of each ferry was tracked from the operational control centre at the Vyttila Mobility Hub. Personnel from there can continuously monitor deviation from course and speed violation, if any.
The ferries can also communicate with their sister vessels and, if need be, ships in the vicinity. For this, three digital mobile radio towers have been set up at the Vyttila hub, Bolghatty Island, and Chittoor. The catamaran vessels also adhered to international safety norms, including for stability, he added.
