Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a two-day Kerala visit, flaged off India's first water metro that connects 10 islands around Kochi through battery-operated electric hybrid boats for seamless connectivity with the city.
Water Metro provides a distinctive urban transportation system that offers a comparable level of convenience and travel experience to traditional metro systems. This mode of transit is particularly valuable in cities such as Kochi.
"Kochi's water metro project is a unique project. This is a game-changing transport system because Kochi is surrounded by many islands and out of them 10 islands are very important and thickly populated," Managing Director, Kochi Metro Rail Limited told ANI ahead of PM Modi's visit to Loknath Behera.
"Those who depend on the mainland will be getting a sustainable, regular, and luxurious transport system at a very affordable price," he added.
According to the officials, the Modi government has made a conscious choice to avoid a one-size-fits-all approach in providing infrastructure and connectivity. A prime example of this approach is seen in the expansion of metro connectivity in the country.
Prime Minister Modi laid the foundation stone and inaugurate various projects worth more than Rs 3,200 crore. Apart from Kochi Water Metro, rail electrification of the Dindigul-Palani-Palakkad section will also be dedicated by PM Modi.
During the event, PM Modi also laid the foundation of various rail projects including the redevelopment of Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode, and Varkala Sivagiri railway stations; comprehensive development of Thiruvananthapuram area including Nemon and Kochuveli and increasing of sectional speed of Thiruvananthapuram-Shoranur section.
PM Modi reached Thiruvananthapuram, where he received a warm welcome. He flagged off Kerala's first Vande Bharat Express between Thiruvananthapuram and Kasargod at Thiruvananthapuram Central Station on Tuesday.
According to Prime Minister's Office (PMO), the train will cover 11 districts namely Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Pathanamthitta, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasargod.
PM Modi also laid the foundation stone of the Digital Science Park in Thiruvananthapuram.
The Digital Science Park is envisaged as a key research facility to develop digital products and services for industry and business units in collaboration with academia, the PMO said.
Sporting traditional Kerala attire, PM Modi walked through the streets of Kochi. People queued up on both sides of the road and cheered for the Prime Minister. They also showered flower petals on him. PM Modi was also seen shaking hands with people. After walking for over 15 minutes, the security personnel escorted him to an SUV.
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Source : Indiatoday
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