In which Indian city was the country's first water metro public transport project recently launched?

Introduction / Context:
This question checks knowledge of recent infrastructure developments in India, specifically innovative forms of urban public transport. The term water metro refers to a system of modern, organised boat based transport that connects island and coastal regions in a city, similar to how a metro rail connects suburbs on land. Knowing where the first such project was launched is useful for current affairs and regional development questions.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The project is described as India's first water metro.
• It is a public transport system using waterways within a city.
• The options list Kolkata, Kochi, Visakhapatnam, Mumbai and Chennai.
• The question is about the launch city, not about states or future proposals.

Concept / Approach:
The approach is to link the idea of a water metro with coastal cities that have many backwaters or interconnected waterways. Among the listed cities, Kochi in Kerala is well known for its backwaters, islands and ferry routes, and it has actively developed metro rail as well as water based transport. Remembering news about Kochi Water Metro helps to quickly pick the correct answer.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify which cities have the right geography for a water metro. Kochi, Mumbai and Visakhapatnam are coastal, but Kochi is most famous for inland waterways and backwaters. Step 2: Recall that Kochi already has a modern metro rail project and has been experimenting with integrated transport solutions. Step 3: News reports about India first water metro highlighted Kochi as the launch city and spoke about connecting various islands in the Kochi region. Step 4: There have been no widely reported water metro launches in Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai or Visakhapatnam on the same scale. Step 5: Therefore, the correct city is Kochi.

Verification / Alternative check:
A quick mental cross check comes from remembering that Kochi Metro Rail Limited and related agencies were closely involved in planning and implementing the water metro as a companion to the land based metro. This was described as a first of its kind integrated water based metro service in India. No similar first water metro branding exists for the other cities listed, confirming Kochi as the answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A (Kolkata) is wrong; although Kolkata has ferry services on the Hooghly river, they have not been branded as the first water metro of India.
Option C (Visakhapatnam) is incorrect; it is a major port city, but it has not been highlighted for a water metro project of this type.
Option D (Mumbai) does have coastal ferry routes and proposals for water transport, but the specific first water metro project is associated with Kochi, not Mumbai.
Option E (Chennai) is also incorrect; Chennai focuses more on land based metro rail and bus systems rather than a dedicated water metro network.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes assume that the largest or most famous coastal city must be the answer, leading them to pick Mumbai or Kolkata without checking details. Another pitfall is to confuse ferry services with a structured water metro system. To avoid such mistakes, candidates should read current affairs carefully and pay attention to phrases like first in India and pilot project attached to specific city names.

Final Answer:
India first water metro public transport project was launched in the city of Kochi.