KOCHI: Water Metro, the ambitious project to introduce a fleet of 78 fast, fuel efficient ferries in the Greater Kochi area is a step closer to realisation with Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) short-listing three consortiums that will in turn bid for the post of General Consultant to implement the Rs.813-crore initiative.
They are AECOM Consortium (a joint venture of Aecom India Pvt. Ltd, Urban Mass Transit Company Ltd., Zebec Marine Consultants and Service Pvt. Ltd.); Egis Consortium (Egis India Consulting engineers Pvt. Ltd., Egis International) and INROS LACKNER SE Consortium (INROS LACKNER SE, GOPA, Tata Consulting Engineers Ltd., Fibroplast Marine Pvt. Ltd).
Two phases
The integrated water transport project will be implemented in two phases and will be fully operational in four years. The first lot of 58 boats will be launched in two years.
A total of 15 firms had responded to the EoI (Expression Of Interest), from which the three consortiums got short-listed after technical evaluation. They have been asked to submit the Request For Proposal (RFP) within 45 days.
The selected consortium will have to manage the project which includes procurement and operation of 78,100 and 50-seater ferries. It will also have to plan, construct and supervise boat jetties, and ensure safe navigation of the vessels. The other responsibilities include operation and maintenance, dredging, construction of approach roads and associated infrastructure and commercial development of the precincts of jetties.
The general consultant will also review the detailed project report (DPR) prepared by the Urban Mass Transit Company (UMTC) and suggest revisions and modifications, says a KMRL press release.
The advent of the Water Metro will make Kochi the first Indian city where boats will operate as a feeder service to the metro rail. The project envisages the development of 16 identified routes, connecting 38 jetties across 10 islands and spans a total route network of 76 km.
