Metro Aqua Boats' to get consultant

Kochi: The Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) has decided to appoint a general consultant for the proposed ‘Metro aqua boats’ to be rolled out as part of integrated water transport project.

Varied opinions had  arisen from experts for changes in the original plan like cutting fares by rolling out non-AC boats instead of the initially planned air-conditioned ones or going for fibre boats instead of steel.

“The general consultant will be asked to study all these factors and suggest the best viable one. The tenders for the catamaran-type passenger ferries will be called only after that,” a senior Metro official said.

While the KMRL will procure majority of the 78 Metro aqua boats, private parties can run one-third of the boats on conditions laid down by the KMRL. The boats will operate at a speed of eight knots with limited stops.

Commuters can enjoy services like free WiFi and TV. A portion of the boats will be reserved for tourists too. The Rs 819.23-crore plan got the centre’s nod faster than expected and the KMRL is planning to obtain 80 per cent of the funding from German bank KfW.

Meanwhile, a request has been forwarded to the Election Commission seeking its nod for signing the tripartite pact between the German bank, the Department of Economic Affairs under the Ministry of Finance and the KMRL to finance the project.

“The project is now under the consideration of the law department and once the signing is done, international bids will be floated and we expect to roll out the first of the boats by early 2017 now,” KMRL Managing Director Elias George said. A total of 16 routes connecting 38 jetties across a 76-km route network have been identified for operating the services.