Frankfurt – The KfW Development Bank is financing a green mobility project in the city of Kochi in India. Passenger traffic will be ferried along the city’s waterways, and the water transport routes will be connected to the rest of the city’s transport system.
KfW has agreed to grant India a loan of EUR 85 million (CHF 92 million) to build a dedicated water transport corridor in the city of Kochi, also known as Cochin. The money will go toward purchasing energy-efficient ferries, building and renovating jetties and dredging work along the waterways. The new ferries will consume 20 per cent less fuel than conventional ferries, and the water transport system will be connected to bus lines, metro stations and other forms of transport such as rickshaws and bicycle rental stations, writes KfW.
Kochi has set itself the goal of improving the quality of life of its population by investing in its infrastructure and modern services. Similar projects smart city projects exist in a total of 100 cities across India as part of Smart Cities Mission, a government urban renewal programme to make cities more citizen-friendly and sustainable.
“The expansion and energy-efficient modernisation of the water transport system will significantly improve the population’s mobility, reduce resource consumption and lower environmental pollution. Kochi is taking an important step in the direction of a smart city,” said Norber Kloppenburg, member of the executive board of the KfW Group.
