By December, Mumbai-Thane-Navi Mumbai-Alibaug To Get 16 New Water Transportation Routes

By Ateeq Shaikh

Come December 2021, and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region will have 16 new passenger waterways ferrying people between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.

On Wednesday, during a review meeting among the Ministry of Shipping, Mumbai Port Trust, Maharashtra Maritime Board and other stakeholders. During this meeting, it was shared with the Ministry that Mumbai’s Water Transportation projects will be operational by December 2021, which is a couple of months prior to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections that is scheduled for February-March 2022.

Of these 16, 12 are water taxis and four will have RoPax services. A RoPax service has a vessel designed to ferry passengers along with their vehicles, e.g. RoPax service between Ferry Wharf and Mandwa at Alibaug inaugurated in March last year.

“Opening up of four new routes of RoPax ferries and 12 routes of water taxis is going to prove a big boon for daily commuters of the MMR. It will result in a pollution-free, peaceful and time-saving journey as well as reduce the travel cost and carbon footprint significantly. It would also cater to the requirement of tourists and commuters alike,” said an official.

By having these passenger water transport services operational, it will not only drastically cut down on travel but also partially reduce traffic from the already congested roads.

Several of these 16 services would be operated from RoPax Terminal at Ferry Wharf and the recently built Domestic Cruise terminal inside the Mumbai Port.

Four RoPax Routes: