With Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) set to shortlist a firm to manufacture the first batch of 23 ferries for the Water Metro project on April 20, stakeholders have expressed concern about floating and underwater obstructions that abound in the Kochi backwaters, getting entangled on their propeller.
The winning bidder from among four joint-venture consortiums in the fray is expected to deliver the first ferry in December. It is slated to operate on the Vyttila-Kakkanad route, where obstructions like water hyacinth abound. Apart from water hyacinth, the floating and underwater obstructions in the backwaters include discarded nets and other fishing gear, nylon and other ropes, plastic and other waste materials.
Apart from stalling the engine, the entangled materials can lead to stalling of the engine and and even loss of control of ferries, said Neelakandan Unni, former Chief Engineer of Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI). “With a number of agencies like IWAI, Irrigation Department and Cochin Port Trust managing the waterways and Pollution Control Board in charge of the pollution aspect, it is imperative that KMRL entrusts an agency with the mandate to ensure safe waterways for the ferries. It must show the same amount of care it showed in shortlisting the material (Aluminium) to construct hull of the ferries and the specifications chosen based on capital and operational expenditure of the fleet.”
Similarly, navigational challenges on the 76-km route too must be considered. A carpet of non-degradable waste lies beneath the beautiful backwaters that tourists enjoy. Ferries that operate on the Thevara-Kakkanad route will need much power and suitable hull to navigate. The propulsion must be so designed that it is possible for crew members to disentangle any material that gets stuck midstream and regain operational control, Mr. Unni said.
He further sought tow boats to provide breakdown assistance to ferries in distress. “Mechanised weed harvesters that can clear an entire area of water hyacinths and other materials are now available. A conveyer belt attached to them can gather the material, which is then sorted at the shore. Bio-degradable materials can be converted to compost or used to make value-added items. In Kochi, additional effort must be taken to clear the river bed too of obstructions which threaten safety of boats, using dredgers of different types,” said a Kochi-based senior naval architect who oversaw the design of numerous boats.
Meanwhile, a KMRL official said the management of weeds that float on the surface was part of the Water Metro project. The focus will shift to that once the tender for ferries is finalised, he added. The revised deadline to submit bids to manufacture the 23 ferries is April 17. The ₹750-crore project aims to introduce 78 modern AC ferries in the Greater Kochi area by 2021, in batches.