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| Hydrofoil Boats |
This was one of the most anticipated projects in Travel and Transportation sector of the state last year. Everything happened in quick time, the announcement, the delivery of hydrofoil boats. This was big news back in July 2016, which was 8 months back. Many leading newspapers reported the same and touted it would be a big boost to the tourism and transportation industry. Owned by a private establishment, the Cochin Port Trust had announced they would charge a nominal fee as rent and government also announced a subsidy of Rs 1/KM in the travel fare for each person, encouraging more investments on this sector. Announced for launch in September last year, there is still no news on the project or the boats.
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| Newspaper clipping on Hydrofoil Boats in Malayala Manorama |
The highlight of the project was that it could carry up to 130 people from Trivandrum to Calicut via Cochin in around 5 hours. Trivandrum to Kochi in 2 hours and from Kochi to Kozhikode in 3 hours, which would other wise would take around 4 hours each in minimal traffic. Though fares are a little on the higher side(1000rs - 1200), people travelling could have had the advantage of time. The boats, which are fully air-conditioned also have pantries on board.
So where are the two Hydrofoil boats, that reached Cochin from Athens, Greece. Have they been rusting to death all this time ?. The project was announced by a private establishment ‘Safe Boat Trip’ ( https://www.facebook.com/safeboattrip/ ). You can write to them asking for a speedy yet safe implementation of this project. We are not quite sure how government would be able to help in this regard.
