Kochi Water Metro Cruising At Full Pace: Phase I Set For October 2019 Completion

First phase of the Kochi Water Metro is planning to be completed by October 2019 and operationalised by the Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL). It is said that the tenders will be awarded by the second week of December for the vessels.

Metro Rail News quoted the Managing Director of KMRL A P M Mohammed Hanish as saying, “Once the tender is awarded, construction activities will begin. We will give them 30 days to respond to RFQ. Tender forms will be given.” RFQ stands for request for qualification.

The project is going to be an integrated water transport system, and will be carried out in the Greater Kochi area at a cost of Rs 819 crore. As a consultant for the venture, Aecom Consortium (which happens to be a joint venture of the Aecom India Pvt Ltd, Zebec Marine Consultants Service Pvt Ltd and the Urban Mass Transit Company Ltd) has been given the responsibility to carry it out.

For the jetties at High Court, Vypin, Mattanchery, Eroor, Vytilla, Kakkanad, Bolgatty, the design detailing has been worked out by DDC, KITCO. For the project, 8.67 hectares land is going to be allotted, out of which 5.3 hectares is currently owned by several departments of the government and the rest is held by private individuals. The process of acquisition and transfer of the land is in progress.

The project will be 76 km-long with 78 boats covering 45 terminals across 15 routes.