Report on modernising water transport expected soon.

A detailed project report (DPR) for obtaining Rs. 624-crore German loan to develop water transport in the greater Kochi area is expected to be submitted to the Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) soon.

The project envisages a sum of Rs. 200 crore to purchase fast, comfortable and fuel-efficient ferries and another Rs. 200 crore to establish or improve road connectivity to existing and proposed ferry terminals in the region. The rest of the funds will be used for dredging, constructing or renovating jetties and to introduce feeder buses from boat jetties.

The managing director of KMRL, Elias George, who is also the chairman of Kochi's Unified Metropolitan Transportation Authority (UMTA), said the proposed water transport project would impact people's life and lifestyle as significantly as the Kochi metro. 'It will open up a new water corridor from North Paravur in Ernakulam's northern end to Aroor located at its southern end. The few boats that operate now are very slow and non-reliable,' he said.

The DPR prepared by the Centre's Urban Mass Transit Company Limited (UMTC) will be forwarded to the Finance Department and will later be placed before the State Cabinet. It will then be sent to the Union Urban Development Ministry and the Union Finance Ministry.

'The loan's first instalment will hopefully be handed over to the KMRL in January 2016. Preparatory works such as preparing bid documents and finalising the role of departments engaged in water and road transport will commence once the German Development Bank KfW’s board clears the loan,' Mr. George said.

A naval architect, Mr. George said the 'stone-age practices' that prevailed in the State's water transport sector would end once the new project was implemented. A three-member German team had visited the city a month ago to assess its waterway network.

THE HINDU