A Water Metro for Kochi

The Indian port city of Kochi with its population of more than two million people is partly located on the mainland and partly on offshore islands and peninsulas. Every day, passengers flock from the islands to the metropolitan city and back. Until now, they had used traditional boats, outdated ferries or the small number of bridges. A new ferry system with fast hybrid boats is now being built with support from KfW on behalf of the German Federal Government.

The first step has been taken. In 2023, the first two routes of the innovative Water Metro for Kochi in southwestern India were put into operation. But that is just the beginning. The project-executing agency, Kochi Metro Raul Limited (KMRL), is planning a total of 15 ferry connections with 38 jetties. In the future, 78 mainly battery-powered catamaran boats will operate between the mainland and the islands. This will improve many of the islands’ connections to the heart of the metropolitan region. The new ferries offer safe routes to work, vocational training or healthcare facilities on the mainland, while simultaneously reducing the travel time by up to a third when compared to road transport.

Secure and fast connections

And the environment also benefits. Using the new boats will save up to 158,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases over a period of 20 years. The air is cleaner, noise is reduced.

On behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), KfW is supporting the expansion of the transport system in Kochi, the second largest city in the state of Kerala, with a loan of EUR 110 million.

The ferries are just one part of a transport system that also includes buses and a land-based metro. All private and public, motorised and non-motorised means of transport in the region will be integrated into the system, which will have a common timetable and uniform tariffs.

Designing for a growing city

The city of Kochi and the project-executing agency KMRL has broken a vicious circle with the rehabilitation of the ferry system. Because of the poor connections, many residents had decided to buy a private motor vehicle. As a result, motorised road traffic, traffic jams, noise and exhaust gases increased. The new ferries now offer an attractive alternative.

The integrated transport system is particularly important because the city of Kochi continues to grow. India’s urbanisation is in high gear. In addition, there is an urgent need to make the transport sector sustainable, as it is the sector with the fastest growing energy consumption in India. With the innovative, sustainable transport system, Kochi is now ready for the future.