Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate a water taxi service of the State Water Transport Department (SWTD) in Alappuzha on Thursday. According to Shaji V. Nair, Director, SWTD, a catamaran diesel-powered vessel will be used for the water taxi service. The boat, with a seating capacity for 10 passengers, will pick passengers and drop them at their destination. The tariff fixed had been ?750 for 30 minutes, Mr. Shaji said.
It can sail at a maximum speed of 19 knots (35 km/hour). The vessel has been built by Kochi-based Navgathi Marine Design and Constructions Private Limited, which created the country’s first solar ferry, Aditya. The boat comes with a 250-horse power outboard diesel engine imported from Sweden. Besides, it has an electric power steering and solar panel atop to supply enough electric energy to fulfill all the power requirements, including lights, fan, and control systems. The SWTD has placed orders for four boats.
People can hire a taxi from anywhere in the Alappuzha district for Rs 1,500 per hour. The taxi can reach Kottayam from Alappuzha in an hour. Chief Minister will also inaugurate a catamaran boat service with a seating capacity of 100 passengers through videoconferencing at 11.30 a.m.The second stage of water taxi service in the state is expected to be launched in Ernakulam in November.
If a person needs the water taxi service, one can call 9400050325 or 9400050322. Presently people can hire taxies on roads if they don’t want to travel on buses or trains. But such an option was not available in water and private boat operators charge exorbitantly. So, the water taxi will be a boon for people to reach their destinations through the water.
If a person needs to reach a house in Kuttanad presently, they have to travel in SWTD boats that have many halts and they also need to walk long distances from boat jetties to the houses. But water taxies will drop the passengers at the door step of houses without stopping anywhere.
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