Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal hails Kochi Water Metro as 'unique' mode of travel

Kochi, Apr 8 (PTI) Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday travelled on the Kochi Water Metro and hailed the urban transportation system as a "unique" mode of travel that provides seamless connectivity while living up to the "green commitments".
    The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterway also held talks with Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) MD Loknath Behera and expressed interest in establishing the Water Metro in other parts of the country, a KMRL release said.
    After his journey aboard the Water Metro vessels for around an hour, he mentioned his experience on 'X'.
    "India's first Water Metro in Kochi is a unique urban transport system that provides seamless connectivity while living up to our green commitments. Delighted to take a ride around the city in the metro!
    "The vessels built by @cslcochin also show India's Aatmanirbhar shipbuilding innovation and are proving to be quite popular among travellers," he said.
    According to the KMRL release, after his travel on the Water Metro, Sonowal noted in the visitors' register that the transportation system was a "unique, enjoyable, exciting and comfortable" mode of travel.
    The Union minister travelled on the Fort Kochi and Vypin routes of the Water Metro and enjoyed the views and beauty of the backwaters, the release said.
    KMRL also said that the passenger count on the Water Metro crossed the 40 lakh mark before it completed two years of its operation.
    The Water Metro was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 25, 2023.
    Since then, it has expanded its operations and now runs 19 boats or five routes with services from 1o terminals, according to the KMRL release.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)