NATPAC to study sustainability, safety aspects of Water Metro

Advantages of water transport over other commuting modes to be quantified

The National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (NATPAC) will commence a comprehensive two-year-long study from July-end on the sustainability and safety aspects of the ₹747-crore Kochi Water Metro project, to shed light on the manifold advantages of water transport over other commuting modes. The study will cover aspects like the quantum of investment in the project vis-a-vis manifold expected gains, like a fall in air and sound pollution caused by other modes of transport when people shift to waterway transport, reduction in congestion and accidents, to name a few, said NATPAC director Samsom Mathew. Based on the detailed project report (DPR), Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) expects a daily footfall of 1 lakh by 2035 in the 78 Water Metro ferries that it will roll out.