With different commuting modes operating side by side, Kochi is set to emerge as the first Indian city having seamless inter-modal connectivity, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said. He was speaking after inaugurating online the pair of two-lane bridges at Champakkara on the Vyttila-Pettah route, on Thursday.
“Kochi metro, which is a lifeline and a modern commuting mode, plays a major role in this. It ushered in fast, clean, comfortable and reliable commuting in the city. Its impending extension to Kakkanad will change the face of the port city. KMRL’s second initiative, the Water Metro, is set to begin operating in January. It will tremendously benefit islanders and others living on the banks of Vembanad backwaters,” he said.
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The Chief Minister said that non-motorised transport and pedestrianisation too had been emphasised along the metro corridor. Steps had also been taken to ensure last-mile connectivity for commuters. In addition, buses and autorickshaws were fast shifting to CNG as a low-emission fuel source. KMRL was spearheading the task to clean and revive once-navigable canals in the city, under the ₹1,400-crore Integrated Urban Regeneration and Water Transport System, Mr. Vijayan said.
The 245-m-long Champakkara bridges were built for ₹50 crore. Care has been taken to ensure navigation beneath the bridge, even during high tide.