Kochi Water Metro featured in UN Habitat’s ‘World Cities Report’

KOCHI: Kochi Water Metro has added yet another laurel to its impressive list of achievements, as the country’s first water metro system is featured in UN Habitat’s ‘World Cities Report 2024: Cities and Climate Action’ for its role in “revitalising water transport and elevating it to include climate change considerations and principles of sustainable urban development.” The World Cities Report 2024 highlights the critical role cities play in addressing the global climate crisis, both in terms of reversing its impacts and reducing the vulnerability of at-risk communities, groups and individuals through adaptation. The Kochi Water Metro offers a prototype of how other cities may revitalise their water transport and elevate it to include climate change considerations and principles of sustainable urban development,” the report said under the chapter ‘Enhancing Urban Mobility through Low-Carbon Water Transport’. “The use of electric propulsion for the boats is further expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 22,400 tonnes per year upon full implementation,” the report said. The Kochi Water Metro, which began commercial operations in April last year, is expected to be fully operational in 2035, by connecting 10 island communities with the mainland and serve about 1,00,000 passengers daily.