India's first Water Metro project gets environmental clearance from Govt

New Delhi (Urban Transport News): The Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) received environment clearance for India's first Water Metro project in Kochi. The Ministry of Environment, Government of India has given the environmental clearance for Rs 819 crore water metro project that aims to provide better connectivity of islands around Kochi with the mainland. The Ministry has given the final environmental clearance to the proposed Kochi Water Metro project after taking into account the views of its green panel. The Kochi Metro Rail Limited is the implementing agency of the proposed project. The Kochi Metro Rail Limited has proposed to take up the development of 7 additional terminals viz. Info Park, Vaduthala, Njarackal, Mulavukad View Point and Embarkation jetty) as a social initiative. The total estimated cost of the proposed Kochi Water Metro project is pegged at Rs 819 crore and about 9.51 hectares of land is needed to be acquired for it. According to the project officials, the proposed Water metro project aims to provide easy access to scenic islands around the mainland of Kochi apart from raising employment opportunities. On September 3, Union Minister for Housing & Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan have laid the foundation stone of phase I of the Kochi Water Metro project.