If you have recently been to the ‘Queen of the Arabian Sea’, you might have seen solar-powered versions of your city metro bogies carrying passengers from one station to another using the inland waterways of Kochi. And if you, like me, have had the pleasure of enjoying a ride in this ‘water metro’, you would have appreciated the sustanability as well as the quality of the public transport initiative. And now, the world has taken note.
Recently, Kochi Water Metro earned global recognition by securing a top-three spot in the prestigious 2026 Global Sustainable Transport Awards, even though it narrowly missed the top prize.
Kochi Water Metro finished among the world's top three sustainable transport projects, competing against leading cities and countries.
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Brazil's Salvador city clinched first place for its massive electric bus rapid transit system, modern stations, and inclusive hiring policies, while Chile's Santiago got special mention for Latin America's largest electric bus fleet.
The Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP), based in New York, selected the jury and gave Kochi Water Metro a special commendation for its innovative approach.
Innovation that sets Kochi apart
What made Kochi stand out was its unique use of water routes as everyday public transport, unlike typical road or rail systems, Kochi Water Metro authorities said in a statement.
Kochi Water Metro connects 10 islands in Kochi, transforming travel that once took an hour by road into just 20 minutes by water, at nearly half the cost. Running on 20 electric-hybrid boats, it has carried over 60 lakh passengers so far and avoids 184 grams of CO₂ emissions per passenger per kilometre on average, according to the transportation body.
Lokanath Behra, Managing Director of Kochi Metro and Kochi Water Metro, called the near-miss not a failure but a motivation for the next growth phase.
He highlighted the need to shift to hydrogen-powered boats—already a reality in India—to compete globally, despite higher initial costs, as an unavoidable step for leadership.
Chief Operating Officer Sajan John noted that surviving four tough rounds of the global competition helped boost future expansion. The latest honourable mention added to the rich cabinet of Kochi Water Metro, which includes laurels like UN-Habitat, Hamburg UITP Summit, and Global Maritime Award.
The recognition also sparked worldwide curiosity, with countries exploring similar water-based systems for water-rich cities. Earlier this week, an inquiry came from Fiji, positioning Kochi as a model for sustainable urban water transport, as ITDP partners with the World Bank on research and tech, Behra said in a statement.