Kochi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday inaugurated India's first water metro that connects 10 islands around Kochi in India’s southern state of Kerala.

The water metro is powered by battery-operated electric hybrid boats, providing smooth connectivity between the islands and the city.

The Water Metro is a unique urban transportation system that offers a similar level of convenience and travel experience as traditional metro systems. It is especially useful in cities like 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.

The Modi-led Centre has deliberately decided to not adopt a uniform approach for providing infrastructure and connectivity, officials said. One instance of this approach can be seen in the extension of metro networks across the nation.

The project to launch the water metro involves the deployment of eight electric hybrid boats, developed under the auspices of Cochin Shipyard Limited.

The initiative is being funded jointly by the Kerala government and German company KfW. A total of 38 terminals and 78 electric boats will be included in the project.

In the initial phase, the KWM service will commence from the High Court-Vypin and Vyttila-Kakkanad terminals. The tickets for the boat ride will begin at Rs 20, and weekly and monthly passes will be available for regular commuters.

With a Kochi One Card, passengers can use both Kochi Metro Rail and Kochi Water Metro services. To buy tickets digitally, users can use the Kochi One App.