Kochi Water Metro Limited (KWML) is set to increase the frequency of ferries in the Vyttila-Kakkanad route from February 26 (Monday), by adding 14 daily trips.
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The ferries will now operate every 25 minutes during peak hours and every 30 minutes during off-peak hours, it is learnt. The first boat from Vyttila and Kakkanad would be at 7.30 a.m. and 8 a.m. respectively, and the final service at 7:25 p.m. and 7:55 p.m. respectively from the two locales.
Official sources attributed the decision to increase services from Vyttila to the IT hub was driven by passengers’ demand. “This would also provide passengers with an alternative mode of public transport when traffic is regulated in connection with Kochi Metro’s Kakkanad extension works. They could even opt for trip passes, to avail discounts on fare. The 12 Water Metro ferries that operate from High Court and Vyttila terminals have carried 16.81 lakh passengers, during the past 10 months.”
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Feeder service
But first and last mile connectivity issues persist from the ferry terminal in Kakkanad to Infopark, other IT establishments and even the Collectorate, with about a dozen e-autos relocating to the city. A mini bus that operated feeder service from the terminal had been withdrawn earlier.
Sources said that the KWML would shortly deploy its own fleet of e-autos from Kakkanad and other boat terminals, in order to improve their reliability.
On the alleged delay by Cochin Shipyard Limited in rolling out 11 more ferries from the fleet of 23 ferries (12 are now in operation), they hoped that it would adhere to its promise to deliver a ferry in a week’s time. “They ought to deliver all the ferries by June, as per the revised deadline,” the sources added.