Patna: Eight months after the arrival of Patna’s first electric Water Metro vessel on the banks of the Ganges, the project remains non-operational due to pending registration formalities and incomplete charging infrastructure.
The agreement for launching the Water Metro service was signed on September 20, 2025, in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, between the Bihar Tourism Department and the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI). The electric vessel, named MV Gomdhar Kunwar, reached Patna on September 27, 2025.
Despite the project being positioned as a major addition to river transport and tourism infrastructure in Bihar, the vessel currently remains stationed near the Gaighat jetty. A security guard has been deployed to monitor the vessel while it remains out of service.
Registration and Charging Facilities Pending
Officials associated with the Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation said the launch has been delayed because the vessel is yet to receive registration clearance from Bihar’s Transport Department.
In addition, charging infrastructure planned along the operational corridor between Digha Ghat and Kangan Ghat has not been fully completed. According to officials, a charging station at Gandhi Ghat has already been constructed, while facilities at Digha Ghat and Kangan Ghat are still under development.
Authorities also said that the process of appointing an agency to operate and manage the Water Metro service is underway.
Service Planned Between Digha and Kangan Ghat
According to Arvind Kumar, Director of IWAI in Patna, the air-conditioned vessel has already been formally handed over to the Tourism Development Corporation.
He said the vessel is designed to accommodate 50 seated passengers along with standing space for 25 more commuters. The service is expected to operate initially between Digha Ghat and Kangan Ghat.
The vessel was manufactured by Hooghly Cochin Shipyard Limited at its facility near the Hooghly River in Howrah, Kolkata, at an estimated cost of around Rs 12 crore.
Kumar said technical trials of the vessel on the Ganges have already been completed successfully. He added that a charging point has also been installed at the floating community jetty at Gaighat.
Expansion Plans Under Consideration
Officials said the vessel runs on two batteries that can be fully charged in approximately 30 minutes. Once charged, the vessel can operate continuously for nearly one and a half hours.
In the first phase, operations are planned between Digha Ghat and Kangan Ghat. Authorities are also considering future expansion of the Water Metro network to Nasriganj in Danapur, Konhara Ghat, Sonepur, Hariharnath and Panapur.
Vessel Equipped with Passenger Facilities
The 42-metre-long electric vessel has been fitted with large glass windows to provide panoramic views of the Ganges for passengers.
Inside, the vessel includes four air-conditioning units, CCTV cameras, LCD display screens and a public announcement sound system. Officials said passengers will receive station updates and other travel-related information through these systems.
Safety equipment and other passenger protection measures have also been incorporated into the vessel’s design, according to officials involved with the project.
