Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday will dedicate one of Kerala's dream projects--the Kochi Water Metro to the nation. The Kochi Water Metro is not only the country's first water metro and it is also the first-ever integrated water transport system of this size and scale in Asia.
The PM has already flagged off Kerala's first Vande Bharat Express from Thiruvananthapuram Central Station today. Modi, who is in Kerala today, will lay the foundation stone and inaugurate various projects worth more than ₹3,200 crore.
About Kochi Water Metro boat:
- The boats are made of aluminum catamaran hulls and FRP superstructure.
- The boats are equipped with lithium titanate oxide batteries.
- These boats can be monitored and controlled from the state-of-the-art Operating Control Centre.
- Last year Kochi Water Metro won the prestigious Gussies Award (France) for the best commercial passenger electric boat in the world.
- According to the Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, the water metro project will improve the socio-economic conditions of islanders and help develop infrastructure. Since the transport system uses renewable sources of energy it is sustainable. The boat has been designed in a unique way that ensures negligible wave activity and does not disturb aqua flora and fauna.
- In the first phase, 34,000 passengers can commute on the water metro.
CM Vijayan said that the Kochi water metro is expected to reduce 44,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emission per annum. He added that the water metro model can be replicated in 40 Indian cities.