Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) and the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) will sign a Memorandum of Understanding on Wednesday to develop a boat jetty, marina and allied amenities of global standards near Marine Drive for the proposed ₹819-crore Water Metro project.
The agreement will be signed by Konain Khan, General Manager (Operation, Maintenance & Water Transport) of KMRL and M.C. Joseph, Secretary of GCDA, in the presence of C.N. Mohanan, Chairman of GCDA and Elias George, KMRL’s Managing Director.
The integrated jetty facility will berth modern boats that will be procured under the Water Metro project, and also tourist boats. This will provide safe and secure access to ferry passengers and tourists, while at the same time ensuring free movement of pedestrians on the Marine Drive walkway. Currently, passengers have to walk through unsafe, ramshackle wooden structures to enter tourist boats berthed along Marine Drive.
The 78 vessels to be procured under the Water Metro project by 2021 will link the city with surrounding islands, West Kochi, and other coastal regions, becoming an extension of Kochi Metro, and also a water-based feeder service for the metro.
The first lot of boats are expected to operate in the water corridor by the last quarter of 2018. The project envisages the development of 16 routes, connecting 38 jetties across 10 islands and spans a total route network of 76 km.