KMRL Studies Water Metro Model For Alappuzha

12 Nov 2025 CW Team

The proposed network aims to improve connectivity across the backwater-rich district while supporting Alappuzha’s vibrant tourism economy. An expert team from KMRL recently visited the region to assess the technical and commercial viability of the project.

A senior KMRL official said, “Our team visited Alappuzha to study the feasibility of introducing a water transport network designed primarily for tourists visiting the area, which is renowned for its scenic lagoons and tranquil backwaters.”

The initial plan envisions routes connecting popular tourist destinations such as Kumarakom, Muhamma, and Pathiramanal, the latter being a small island on Vembanad Lake known for its rich birdlife.

Unlike the Kochi Water Metro, which operates on shorter urban routes, the Alappuzha network is expected to cover longer stretches, necessitating larger and more powerful electric vessels with higher battery capacity.

“These routes are considerably longer than those in Kochi. The type of vessel will depend on each route’s specific requirements. The proposed system will offer a safe, efficient, and environmentally friendly travel alternative,” the official added.

KMRL’s expansion of water-based mobility extends beyond Alappuzha. The expert team will visit Kollam next week to conduct a similar feasibility study, while a pre-feasibility assessment is already underway for water metro connectivity between Aluva and Nedumbassery Airport.

“We expect to submit the preliminary report within a month,” the official confirmed.

Once implemented, the Alappuzha Water Metro is expected to strengthen regional connectivity, promote sustainable tourism, and support Kerala’s broader goal of developing green and inclusive urban transport systems.

The Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) has launched a detailed feasibility study to explore the development of an urban water transport system in Alappuzha, inspired by the success of the Kochi Water Metro, according to a New Indian Express report. The proposed network aims to improve connectivity across the backwater-rich district while supporting Alappuzha’s vibrant tourism economy. An expert team from KMRL recently visited the region to assess the technical and commercial viability of the project. A senior KMRL official said, “Our team visited Alappuzha to study the feasibility of introducing a water transport network designed primarily for tourists visiting the area, which is renowned for its scenic lagoons and tranquil backwaters.” The initial plan envisions routes connecting popular tourist destinations such as Kumarakom, Muhamma, and Pathiramanal, the latter being a small island on Vembanad Lake known for its rich birdlife. Unlike the Kochi Water Metro, which operates on shorter urban routes, the Alappuzha network is expected to cover longer stretches, necessitating larger and more powerful electric vessels with higher battery capacity. “These routes are considerably longer than those in Kochi. The type of vessel will depend on each route’s specific requirements. The proposed system will offer a safe, efficient, and environmentally friendly travel alternative,” the official added. KMRL’s expansion of water-based mobility extends beyond Alappuzha. The expert team will visit Kollam next week to conduct a similar feasibility study, while a pre-feasibility assessment is already underway for water metro connectivity between Aluva and Nedumbassery Airport. “We expect to submit the preliminary report within a month,” the official confirmed. Once implemented, the Alappuzha Water Metro is expected to strengthen regional connectivity, promote sustainable tourism, and support Kerala’s broader goal of developing green and inclusive urban transport systems.

Real Estate

05 Dec 2025

RBI Rate Cut Boosts Confidence Across Housing Market

Industry Context and Market DynamicsThe real estate industry has welcomed the RBI’s rate cut as a timely boost to affordability and demand. With home prices having risen steadily across major markets, even a marginal reduction in interest rates meaningfully strengthens purchasing power, especially for first-time and mid-income buyers.Ashish Jerath, President – Sales & Marketing, Smartworld Developers, observes:“The RBI’s 25-basis-point cut, bringing the repo rate down to 5.25%, is a timely boost for the real estate sector. Lower interest rates reduce borrowing costs, enabling homeb..

Infrastructure Transport

05 Dec 2025

BMC Resumes Rs 170 Billion Road Works, Targets 80 per cent By Jan 2026

Following the withdrawal of the southwest monsoon in October, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has restarted work on 645 roads—covering 297.49 kilometres—under its large-scale concretisation programme. Data shows that more than 60 per cent of the resumed works are located in the western suburbs. Officials said the civic body aims to complete concretisation on 80 per cent of the roads where fresh work has begun by January 2026. Launched in 2022, the Rs 170 billion project seeks to concretise 700 kilometres of roads across Mumbai. All civil works were halted during the monsoon ..

Infrastructure Urban

05 Dec 2025

India Pushes Digital Shift In Urban Land Mapping

The Department of Land Resources (DoLR) under the Ministry of Rural Development has convened a National Symposium on NAKSHA – the National Geospatial Knowledge-based Land Survey of Urban Habitations – to advance India’s transition to modern, technology-driven land mapping. Speaking at the inaugural session, Secretary Manoj Joshi underscored the urgent need to move revenue departments away from outdated, tape-based methods and rough hand-drawn sketches. He stressed that adopting latitude–longitude-based digital mapping and GIS-linked registration systems is essential for economic stabi..