Water transport plan in oblivion

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At a time when the State government is initiating multi-crore public transport projects for the city, the feasibility study report on water transport, the most viable and non-polluting mode of transport in the city, prepared for the city corporation, is gathering dust.

Cities Development Initiative for Asia (CDIA) submitted the report in 2010 which cost the agency about Rs 1.5 crore.

Prepared by an international agency called Global Works, the report is buried somewhere inside the city corporation, the money spent on it gone to waste.

The previous council's plan was to recommend the project under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). This did not happen.

“If the recommendations of the study report had been implemented, it would have changed the public transport scenario in the city in a very positive way.

The report proposed developing a network of ferry services connecting suburban areas to city centres and making maximum use of the canal and inland waterways for transport needs” said K.J. Sohan, chairman of the town planning committee.

One of the major proposals of the study report was to launch special catamarans called 'Kochi Cats', for smooth and fast ferry services between the islands.

These vessels were to have a high carrying capacity and speed, and would improve the ferry service in terms of safety, comfort, speed and reliability.

Reviving the water transport option is the need of the hour as road connections between the small towns, islands, and the city are becoming increasingly congested.

A good ferry service will provide fast and direct connections, and help decongest key arterials, added Mr Sohan.

Both, the previous LDF council and the resent UDF council, have failed to implement the proposals.

After the new council took over last year, a CIDA team had done a follow-up presentation of the feasibility study, but they did not receive a positive response from the corporation authorities.

In a city where 81 per cent of the people depend on public transport, developing economical and viable modes of transport is more important than going for expensive mega projects.