KMRL invites tenders for traffic study on feasibility of launching Water Metro

Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) has invited tenders from firms to conduct a traffic study in Kollam and 17 other cities across the country, shortly after beginning feasibility studies for the launch of Water Metro services in the cities.

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways had entrusted the metro agency with the task of conducting feasibility studies to launch hybrid electric ferries, similar to those the agency had introduced in the Greater Kochi area.

Experts from the Kochi Water Metro project visited Mumbai and Varanasi to conduct the feasibility study. It was decided to entrust a firm with the task of conducting the traffic study and other mandatory assessments. A tender has been floated to identify a firm capable of evaluating the local conditions in each of the cities. The study will also cover aspects such as the need for feeder services to Water Metro terminals and the commercial utilisation of space at the terminals.

Based on the findings of the study, detailed project reports for the 18 cities will be prepared. The focus will be on making optimal use of waterbodies to promote sustainable urban water transport. In 2024, the metro agency had constituted an in-house committee to lead the initial work and establish a consultancy wing for launching Water Metro ferries in the cities. The Inland Waterways Authority of India is also keen to know the outcome of the feasibility study, it is learnt.

The Brahmaputra River in Guwahati, Dal Lake in Jammu and Kashmir, inter-island transport in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep, as well as Ahmedabad (Sabarmati), Surat, Mangaluru, Ayodhya, Dhubri, Goa, Kolkata, Patna, Prayagraj, Srinagar, Varanasi, Mumbai, the suburbs of Kochi, Kollam, and Vasai, had been shortlisted in 2024 as potential locations for launching the Water Metro services.

In the Kochi suburbs, Water Metro ferries had the potential to operate on the Kumbalam–Alappuzha route, as well as the Aluva–Nedumbassery and North Paravur–Kodungallur corridors. Along with KMRL, Kochi Water Metro Limited (KWML), which operated the fleet of hybrid electric ferries, had, over time, developed expertise in areas such as electric boat design and construction, inland water transport, green energy solutions, and project management, to name a few, sources said. KWML also offers consultancy services for conducting geological and topographic surveys, hydrographic surveys, and Intelligent Transport Management Systems.