The Kochi Metro Rail Limited’s (KMRL) latest project is expected to attract more commuters to use public transport. APM Mohammed Haneesh IAS, the Managing Director of KMRL, on Wednesday launched e-autos in Ernakulam district with aim of providing first and last mile connectivity to the commuters. As part of finding a solution to get the people of Kochi to use public transport, the Urban Transport wing decided to come up with the idea known as “public transport integration”, where all the forms of public transport are connected to each other.
According to an official of the Kochi Metro, a 2015 study showed that only 49 per cent of the commuters in the district used public transport while the rest of the population used private vehicles. The percentage of commuters using public transport was reported to have been declining by 3 per cent every year since 2015.
“We decided to connect all forms of public transport in the city and one of the best ways to get from one mode of transport, for example, a metro station, to another form of transport, a bus stand, for example, is to use auto rickshaws,” said the KMRL official. This is also an attempt to reduce the increasing traffic congestion.
The e-auto project will be operated by the Ernakulam Auto Rickshaw Drivers Co-operative Society, a body consisting of all the six trade unions in the city - CITU, AITUC, INTUC, TUCI, STU and BMS.
Kinetic Green Energy and Power Solutions is in charge of providing 16 e-autos to six metro stations - Aluva, Kalamassery, Edapally, Kaloor, MG Road and Maharajas College station. The first phase began on Wednesday. All the vehicles are coming with customised design, powered by Lithium-Iron Battery.
KMRL has also said that 22 e-autos more will be added to the project soon. According to reports, the vehicle uses the latest technology that ensures good performance and with one single charge, it can run more than 70 km.
Launching the e-autos on Wednesday, KMRL Managing Director APM Mohammed Hanish said that KMRL, in its leap towards building an environment-friendly space, has created yet another milestone. “We are glad to introduce e-autos in Kochi city as part of our feeder service. The same fuels KMRL’s push for e-mobility,” he added.