Kochi: The State Water Transport Department (SWTD) will deploy a majority of new 14 under-construction catamaran type boats, which can run both on electrical and solar power, in Kochi region besides a high speed ferry boat in the Vaikom-Ernakulam section. “The current fleet deployed in the region is very old. The catamaran type boats could also accommodate more commuters. We plan to deploy more than half of the new boats in the region,” said SWTD Director Shaji V Nair.
This, even as, the Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) is targeting to roll out 78 similar boats in a year. “The KMRL will be deploying the fleet in routes such that our services are not affected. In talks held recently, its Managing Director Elias George said they too have planned similar types of boats,” Nair said. Meanwhile, a senior KMRL official said the General Consultant for the Rs 747-crore Water Metro Project will be finalized by January when an international tender will be floated.
“We’ve shortlisted three consortium out of 15 for the General Consultant post which will be finalized by January. We aim to launch the first of the 78 boats in another one year,” the official said. The Kochi Water Metro project envisages development of 16 identified routes, connecting 38 jetties across 10 islands and spans a total route network of 76 km. The integrated water transport project will be implemented in two phases and it would be fully operational in four years time.
