Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch India's first Water Metro on Tuesday in Kerala. Modi, who is on a two-day visit to the state, will also flag off Kerala's first Vande Bharat Express, from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasargod.
The Water Metro, expected to revolutionise transportation in the state, connects 10 islands around Kochi. Not only will it save travel time, the Water Metro is also touted to be a cost-effective means of transportation. The tickets start at Rs 20 and the maximum price is Rs 40. Besides, weekly, monthly, and quarterly passes are also available at Rs 180, Rs 600, and Rs 1500, respectively.
Users of the Kochi One Card can travel on both Kochi Metro Rail and Water Metro.
Besides its rates, the project is also an eco-friendly one with hybrid boats being used for service. Powered by Lithium Titanite Spinel batteries, these boats only take 10-20 minutes to traverse each route. They are also safe and ensure smooth sailing even in adverse weather conditions as the floating pontoons stay at the same level during descending times. They are also safe for differently-abled people. Upon the project's completion, the system will feature a total of 38 stations and 78 ferry boats.
The Water Metro Project is set up at Rs 1,136.83 crore jointly by the Kerala Government and KfW, a German funding agency.
As a first phase of the project, service would begin soon from High Court-Vypin terminals to Vyttila-Kakkanad terminals. The services will be conducted every 15 minutes and each boat can accommodate 50 to 100 passengers.
Vande Bharat Express
Kerala's first Vande Bharat Express will run between Thiruvananthapuram and Kasargod and cover 11 districts. The prime minister will also inaugurate or lay the foundation stones of several other projects.
Meeting with church leaders
Modi also met the top priests of various churches in Kerala on Monday as part of the party's bid to reach out to the influential minority community ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
The Prime Minister met eight top Church priests including Syro-Malabar Catholic Church head Cardinal George Alencherry, Syro-Malankara Catholic Church head Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, Syrian Orthodox Church head Baselios Marthoma Mathews III and Metropolitan Trustee of the Jacobite Church Joseph Mor Gregorios.
The Prime Minister also met the senior priest of the Latin Catholic Church Archbishop Joseph Kalathiparambil, Archbishop of Knanaya Church Mathew Moolakkatt, Archbishop of the Knanaya Jacobite Archdiocese Kuriakose Mar Severios, and Metropolitan of the Chaldean Syrian Church Mar Awgin Kuriakose, BJP sources said.