The Kochi Metro serves as a model for sustainable and socially responsible transportation, said Loknath Behera, the managing director of Kochi Metro Rail Ltd.
Kochi, Kerala: During The Summit Of The Future, Kerala 2025, hosted by JAIN University Kochi on Tuesday, Loknath Behera, the managing director of Kochi Metro Rail Ltd, spoke about the growth of Kochi Water Metro and how the same is planned to be implemented in other parts of the country.
Behera was one of the panellists speaking on the topic ‘Unified Pathways for a Greener Future.’
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He highlighted the innovative approach taken by the Kochi Water Metro, emphasising its commitment to environmental friendliness and social empowerment. Behera also revealed that the same approach will be taken across the country. “A lot of thinking process has gone to build this system; a complete ecosystem has been built to bring more sustainability to the transport. Again, I said that this can be actually replicated anywhere in the country where there is water transfer. So, we are now going to 18 places, including Gujarat, Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Bengal, etc., to introduce that,” he said.
The Kochi Water Metro, a first-of-its-kind project in India, blends modernity with eco-consciousness. Designed to connect 10 islands via 15 routes, the network spans 78 kilometres and includes 38 jetties serviced by 78 electric-hybrid ferries. The innovative system is expected to benefit over 33,000 islanders on a daily basis while reducing urban traffic congestion and pollution.
Behera explained that the metro system is designed to be nonpolluting, using concrete instead of iron metal for its construction. He emphasised that a comprehensive ecosystem has been built to promote sustainability in transportation, including a cashless ticketing system, with digital payment options available through mobile phones.
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Highlighting the social impact of the Kochi Metro, particularly on women, the retired IPS officer recalled an incident where a woman told him that “by working in Water Metro or even travelling in Water Metro, I [she] have graduated from chechi to madam. People call me Madam.”
Speaking on women’s empowerment and the Kochi Water Metro providing employment opportunities for them, he said, “Well, the main empowerment is one of the parts of these particular projects. I must say, I am very happy that I could employ a lot of women, actually more than 50 percent of people working. There are women. So it is actually a great thing.”
Behera expressed how he believed that the Kochi Metro serves as a model for sustainable and socially responsible transportation and shared his hopes to see it replicated across India.
The project addresses infrastructure gaps by improving access roads to jetties, ensuring safety with well-lit streets, and promoting small feeder modes for better last-mile connectivity. Efforts to manage water weeds and floating waste further underline its commitment to sustainability. Industrialist Anand Mahindra had recently praised the initiative, calling it a clever and imaginative solution for urban transportation.
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The Future Summit is a seven-day event hosted by Kochi’s JAIN (Deemed-to-be University) with the aim to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2025 (SDGs). The event caters to nearly seven disciplines focused on holistic development.
Kumari. Licypriya Kangujam, the 13-year-old climate activist, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, State Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi, MP Dr. Shashi Tharoor and many others are some of the key speakers at the event.
