EDITORIAL
The water metro promises to alleviate congestion and drive tourism growth
Going by the announcement made on Tuesday, the detailed project report (DPR) for the Goa Water Metro would be ready within four months. Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) has identified seven routes feasible for starting the water metro in Goa. The project is expected to have a network of 32 terminals covering about 111 km and requiring more than 100 boats, according to the preliminary feasibility study. The feasibility report has been submitted to the government and approval is awaited to start the DPR process, it was stated. KMRL has announced plans to introduce AI facilities with the latest modern technologies for the project, compared to the one introduced in Kochi. One significant point is that if the water metro project sails through smoothly, our main roads will be decongested.
The promoters have said that the Goa water metro project will be larger than the Kerala one. “My technical team says that the situation here is even better than in Kochi. This may be a bigger and costlier project than the Kochi Metro,” said a senior KMRL officer, adding, “Tourists as well as locals who use water transport can use this sustainable way of transport.” He also stated that Goa is a picture perfect place for implementing a water metro. The cost is massive – estimated to be more than Rs 3,000 crore. Hence, the state government wants the Centre to fund it.
Presently, if around 35,000 to 40,000 people travel by ferry boats, the number of commuters is expected to touch one lakh, said Goa Minister for River navigation Subhash Phal Dessai. Calling Goa “the most suitable state” for such a project, Phal Dessai said Goa possesses an extensive and largely untapped inland water network that offers greater connectivity potential than Kerala. “Water metro will be eco-friendly, affordable and will significantly reduce pressure on roads. It will improve river connectivity, boost tourism and create employment opportunities,” he said.
The minister said the first phase of the DPR involved studying nine key river routes connecting Divar, Chorao, Vanxim, Sarmanas, Narve, Cortalim, Aldona, Madkai, Adpai, Durbhat, Panaji and Betim, with the possibility of expanding the network further based on its success. The minister has been consistently pushing the water metro project. The waterways potential was known to the past government too but none ever ventured into it due to its high-cost factor. As Goa has a high vehicle density rate, roads face bottlenecks during peak hours making government look for options like water metro.
The water metro is not just for the locals alone; it will definitely help promote tourism. Tourists who are denied the opportunity of availing app-based aggregators (except one) will get to experience IT-based waterways. If the service runs professionally and the fare is reasonable with online booking, the water metro will be a good attraction for the tourists. More reels will be made by influencers helping the Goa brand elevation. The usage of modern and user-friendly technology will be a big relief to commuters. Safety is one aspect the government will have to be extra cautious about. An efficient waterways system could drastically lower the carbon footprint and noise pollution generated by heavy road traffic. While constructing the 32 terminals the authorities will have to ensure there is no environmental damage. Similarly, they will have to examine all aspects before proceeding ahead.
For over a decade, the Centre has funded all the major infrastructural projects including the bridges. Hopefully, the Goa government will be able to convince the Centre for the necessary funds this time too.
