The electric hybrid boats which Kochi Water Metro Ltd. is set to get would supplement the water transportation system of the city. From Cochin Shipyard Ltd. are going to procure those new boats which will enable increase in service frequency as well as efficiency in water transportation, especially at peak time. The people of Kochi will get more and more reliable and eco-friendly ways to reach one place from another due to the city’s progress to develop the network of the metro.
Water Metro Network Expanding
The water metro network in Kochi is scaling fast, and KWML is strengthening the connectivity in the city with electric hybrid boats. CSL had received an order for 23 boats for water metro. Till date, it has delivered 17 and the rest three are in completion stage and will soon be handed over. These boats will not only strengthen the service capacity of the metro but also help Kochi in meeting its sustainable transport solutions.
KWML currently runs its vessels on five major routes in the city. These include coverage of a link between High Court and Fort Kochi; a new route High Court-Fort Kochi has been launched recently, and the current services in these routes are most likely to be increased with the operation of three more vessels.
Effect of New Vessels on Frequency of Services
Adding three electric hybrid boats to the list in order to enhance services in the other routes since overcrowding has occurred and there is long waiting time. The new boats will add services in peak hours so that they will not have to wait for a long time at the terminals to get queued for passengers.
Among them, the service period cut back is highly considerable on the Fort Kochi route. Earlier, wait time had to be passed over by longer intervals at peak hours but now it is 15 minutes only. With this kind of improvement, overall experience of passengers shall be much improved with improved water transport being one of the most appealing modes of transport for daily commuters.
In addition, KWML also conducts unscheduled services at the peak hours of their demands. This means that during peak hours, the system is responsive to the demands of the city at all times.
Issues and Recommendations
The main problem with this expansion is it has a lacking response, with lesser access to some routes. For example, the South Chittoor route has very poor response. The principal flaw is last-mile connectivity. Here, the connectivity is not reaching out to passengers from the last points of the boats.
The other challenge it poses is that the service offered on this route is much lesser in comparison. It runs only four services as of now, which is not enough to cater to this growing demand. Hence to overcome these challenges KWML needs to focus upon raising connectivity and increasing the number of services so it can become more reliable to people.
Future of Kochi Water Metro
Adding three more boats in the Kochi water metro network is a step towards success but the city is not done yet to continue its steps on challenges and hence needs working on improving last-mile connectivity, particularly crucial on weak routes such as South Chittoor, which expand the reach of the water metro.
As the water metro expands, the commitment of KWML to provide eco-friendly transport solutions will reduce the traffic congestion and pollution that will affect the city of Kochi. The electric hybrid boats represent a key contributor to a more sustainable urban mobility approach for inhabitants and visitors to enjoy.
Conclusion
The inclusion of three new electric hybrid boats into Kochi Water Metro Ltd. is making great leaps towards frequent services, reducing waiting time, and making the system efficient for water transport in Kochi. As the network goes deeper and further, last-mile connectivity and service frequency will emerge as two important issues to achieve success in the water metro in Kochi. All these developments position Kochi well in its quest for becoming a model in sustainable urban transportation.
Refer:
TOI, Link to article
Also read : Govt Unveils Rs 100 Crore Scheme for Growth of Inland Water Transport