India's first water metro launched in Kochi today; Check fares, routes

The Kochi water metro will connect 10 islands around the city in Malabar coast. Check out fares, routes and other details here.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India's first water metro in Kerala's Kochi which will connect 10 islands around the city in Malabar coast through battery-operated electric hybrid boats.

The Kochi water metro will provide the cheapest travel through idyllic backwaters of Kochi.(Twitter)

"Kochi's water metro project is a unique project which will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister. This is a game-changing transport system because Kochi is surrounded by many islands and out of them 10 islands are very important and thickly populated," managing director of Kochi Metro Rail Ltd told news agency ANI.

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the metro will bring a major revolution in water transportation and also boost state's tourism. Funded by the Kerala government and German firm KfW, the boats are manufactured by Cochin Shipyard Limited. The overall project comprises of 78 electric boats with a total of 38 terminals.

Check out all about Kochi water metro:

1. A total of 10 islands will around the port city will be connected and the first phase service will begin from High Court-Vypin terminal to Vyttila-Kakkanad terminal.
2. Tickets can be booked online and they can also use ‘Kochi 1’ card to travel in Kochi water metro.
3. Ticket price: A minimum of ₹20 and a maximum of ₹40. Regular passengers can avail weekly or monthly passes starting from ₹180 to ₹1,500.
4. CM Vijayan said with the water metro, passengers can reach Vypin terminal from High Court terminal within 20 minutes and from Kakkanad from Vypin within 25 minutes without being stuck in traffic.
5. The project is worth ₹747 crore which has identified 15 routes connecting islands spanning 78 km.