Kochi Water Metro to start trial run in High Court - Chittor stretch next week

Kochi: Residents in the northern region of Kochi, grappling with limited public transport options for seamless access to the city center, have reason to rejoice as Kochi Water Metro Ltd (KMWL) is set to initiate the trial service of the Water Metro from High Court Terminal to South Chittoor next week.

As a New Year gift to the residents, the service on this route will officially commence after a three-week trial run. The final route and schedule will be determined based on the performance observed during the trial period.

The trial will also include assessments of charging stations and pontoons installed at the terminals. In addition to South Chittoor, the terminals at Cheranelloor and Eloor are also prepared for operation.

Currently, the Water Metro operates 12 boats on three existing routes—High Court Junction to Vypeen, High Court to Bolgatty, and Vyttila to Kakkanad. The upcoming service is planned as the second phase of the Water Metro offerings.

Sajan P John, CEO of KWML, shared, "We are planning to start the service from HC terminal to South Chittoor with 12 boats, and service on more routes in northern areas would be launched after the delivery of more boats from Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL). As Mulavukad terminal is located between the HC and South Chittoor, we are trying to link the HC-South Chittoor service with Mulavukad also."

KWML envisions making South Chittoor the third Water Metro hub in the city, following Vyttila and High Court. The Chittoor terminal is poised to become the starting point for services to northern regions such as Eloor, Cheranelloor, Chennur, Puthiya Thuruth, Kadamakkudy, and Mulavukad North terminals. Terminals in these locations are in the final stages of completion.

The introduction of Water Metro connectivity to South Chittoor and other northern areas is expected to spur significant development in Chittoor, Kothad, and surrounding regions.

According to KMRL, the average ridership of Water Metro boats on weekends ranges between 8,000 and 9,000, and on other days, it hovers around 4,000. The launch of the new service is anticipated to further boost ridership.