The Kochi Water Metro, which has recently reached a milestone of serving 2.5 million passengers, is poised to extend its service to Mattancherry by October. The new boat terminal near the Mattancherry Corporation Park is expected to be completed by then, facilitating this expansion. Currently, a jetty by the State Water Transport Department exists near the park, but the area is not serviced due to silt accumulation. The addition of this route will be supported by three new boats joining the Water Metro fleet, marking the sixth route in Kochi’s water transport network.
Current State of the Water Metro
The Water Metro, designed to offer a water transportation experience comparable to the metro rail system, has been primarily used by tourists, including residents exploring their own city. It has quickly become popular among both local and visiting passengers. A notable trend is passengers parking their vehicles at Marine Drive, boarding from the High Court terminal, and exploring destinations like Fort Kochi and Mattancherry before returning.
Popular and Less Popular Routes
Fort Kochi Route: This route is the most frequented, generating the highest revenue for the Water Metro, with 60% of passengers traveling from the High Court jetty to Fort Kochi.
South Chittoor Route: Despite its scenic appeal, the South Chittoor route remains underutilized. The 7-km round trip around islets is not well-promoted to tourists and operates only during office hours. The ticket price for this route is Rs 40.
Growing Regular Passengers
The Vyttila-Kakkanad route has seen a rise in regular, non-tourist passengers. With the introduction of Kochi Metro Rail Limited’s e-bus service next month, which will connect Infopark and Kakkanad, passenger numbers are expected to increase further. The e-bus service aims to address the disruptions faced by the previous KSRTC feeder bus service and improve connectivity.
Current Routes and Future Expansion
The existing five routes of the Water Metro are:
High Court–Vypin
High Court–Fort Kochi
High Court–South Chittoor
South Chittoor–Cheranallur
Vyttila–Kakkanad
The addition of the Mattancherry route will enhance the network’s reach and service quality, contributing to the growing popularity and effectiveness of Kochi’s water transport system.
