This comes after the Kochi Metro Rail Limited was roped in by the Inland Waterways Authority of India to conduct feasibility studies for 18 cities last year.

This comes after the Kochi Metro Rail Limited was roped in by the Inland Waterways Authority of India to conduct feasibility studies for 18 cities last year.

This comes after the Kochi Metro Rail Limited was roped in by the Inland Waterways Authority of India to conduct feasibility studies for 18 cities last year.

In a fresh push for Goa's maritime sector, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), Sarbananda Sonowal, on Friday announced a series of projects, including a water metro system.

The Goa Water Metro project aims to connect the state capital of Panaji—on the banks of the River Mandovi—to various riverine towns and villages, much like the Kochi Water Metro, which is seen as the model for inland water metro projects.

This comes after the Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL)—which had conducted a feasibility study for the Kochi model—was roped in by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) to conduct feasibility studies for 18 cities last year.

These efforts factored into the draft National Water Metro Policy, which aims to bring the Kochi model to the 18 cities.

In that regard, Goa was originally slated to get a water metro service much later on, which was given a Phase-I implementation priority at the request of CM Pramod Sawant.

“If a water metro could be implemented successfully in Kochi [Kerala], then in Goa too, we can," Sonowal said, on the sidelines of an inauguration event for Goa's new Captain of Ports Terminal building, a Rs 48.87 crore waterfront facility designed to strengthen maritime administration, improve vessel monitoring, and navigation.

Developed by the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC), the four-storey building spans more than 4,405 square metres and replaces the existing Captain of Ports office, which had become inadequate for the department's growing operational requirements.

Designed in the form of a ship docked along the riverbank, the new terminal overlooks the Mandovi River, this administrative hub also serves as a testament to Panaji's maritime heritage.

The building includes modern passenger facilities, a double-height public lobby, conference facilities, marine and hydrographic offices, navigational control infrastructure, a radio communications centre, and public amenities.

A rooftop amphitheatre with a seating capacity of about 450, an indoor restaurant, and an open terrace have also been added to the building, enabling it to host public and maritime events while creating additional revenue opportunities for the department.

Other key projects in focus, as part of a Rs 2,000 crore push into the Mormugao Port, include the redevelopment of Berth No. 9, the Vasco Bay Project with a new fishing harbour, capital dredging for deep-draft berths, and a modern Seafarers' Club.

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