A boat terminal proposed at Fort Kochi as part of the Water Metro project will not in any way harm the historical Chinese fishing nets on the beach front, Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) has said.
The department of ocean engineering, IIT-Chennai, had given the green signal for the project after conducting a detailed model study in the area.
The IIT team had conducted studies including simulation study to assess navigational safety, wind and wave hindcasting, and weather downtime analysis.
The studies were done to check the safety and maneuverability of boats and weather conditions. “KMRL is committed to protecting the rich heritage of Fort Kochi. The Water Metro terminal will aid tourism and other prospects of the area. The Chinese fishing nets will not be harmed,” said KMRL managing director A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish.
Plans are also afoot to develop the area to enhance last-mile connectivity by joining hands with Cochin Smart Mission Limited.
KMRL had conducted studies on the possibilities of constructing the Water Metro terminal at the existing Ro-Ro jetty.
It was found that the jetty space was fully utilised, and that the introduction of ferries in the same area would increase chances of collision and accidents.
Renovating the State Water Transport Department (SWTD) jetty on Kalvathy Road implies that commuters will have to shell out more money as they will have to find alternative modes of conveyance to reach the Fort Kochi bus station.
Moreover, the Water Metro will be operated on multiple routes and hence needs more berthing space. Thus the metro agency decided to go ahead with the terminal project at the land near the fuel pump and Chinese nets.
KMRL also held discussions with owners of Chinese nets and the study report was handed over to them.
