State plans for fleet of 20 electric boats
Soiru Velip
Panaji: In a move by the central government towards the Goa government’s proposal to the 16th Finance Commission to start water metro transportation in the state, the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has decided to carry out a feasibility study for the project in Goa.
Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) will carry out the study, according to officials.
The Inland Waterways Authority of India Board, in its 196th board meeting, arrived at a key decision to carry out a feasibility study for developing an urban water transport system in various cities in the country.
With an aim of fulfilling the need for a modern, waterway eco-transportation system, the state government had last month presented a memorandum to a visiting delegation of the 16th Finance Commission and requested a grant of Rs 800 crore for the water metro project.
The state government has proposed four routes for the water metro project and they include Panaji-Divar-Old Goa, Panaji-Chorao Island, Vasco-Margao-Cortalim and Calangute-Baga-Candolim.
According to the proposal, Goa plans a fleet of a minimum of 20 electric boats with a capacity of 50-100 passengers per boat. All the boats will be of modern design with air-conditioned cabins, Wi-Fi and solar panels for auxiliary power.
The Rs 800 crore sought for the project includes Rs 250 crore for fleet procurement and Rs 450 crore for infrastructure development.
It also includes Rs 50 crore for operational set-up and Rs 50 crore for contingency.
As far as technology for the project is concerned, the state has proposed battery-powered propulsion for minimal environmental impact with GPS-enabled navigation and real-time tracking for efficient operation.
The state government aims at providing unique, world-class water transport experience for tourists and facilitating trade and connectivity for coastal and riverside communities by way of the water metro, which will connect key urban and rural areas, tourist hotspots and economic hubs.
The objectives of this mode of transport are to provide seamless connectivity, sustainable mobility, enhance tourism, de-congest traffic apart from economic upliftment.
The government will explore a public-private partnership model for operations and maintenance of the water metro project.
The 16 other cities chosen by IWAI, in consultation with the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, for developing water metro include Ayodhya, Dhubri, Guwahati, Kollam, Kolkata, Prayagraj, Patna, Srinagar, Varanasi, Mumbai, Vasai, Mangaluru (Gurupura river), Gandhinagar-Ahmedabad (Sabarmati river) and Alleppey as well as Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar Islands where inter-island ferry services could transform connectivity.
