Mumbai: To promote eco-friendly waterways transportation and reduce the traffic load of crowded Mumbai city roads, 4 new routes for ROPAX ferry services and 12 new routes of Water Taxi are planned to be operational by December, 2021. Currently, ROPAX ((roll-on/roll-off passenger) service from Bhaucha Dhakka (Ferry Wharf) to Mandwa (Alibag) is already operating by reducing the road journey of 110 kmto about 18 km by using waterways, thereby reducing travel time of daily commuters from about 3-4 hours to merely one hour.
Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, chaired a meeting today to review the Urban Water Transportation projects for Mumbai, Maharashtra. Senior Officials of the Ministry, Chairperson of Mumbai Port and officials of Maharashtra Maritime Board and other stakeholders were present in the meeting.
The details of the new routes are as follows:
Opening up of 4 new routes of ROPAX Ferries and 12 routes of Water taxis will result in a pollution-free, and time-saving journey as well as reduce the travel cost and carbon footprint significantly. It would also cater for the requirements of increasing number of tourists and commuters at various stretches of Mumbai city, Mandaviya said. He added that it will open up new opportunities and avenues to create an ecosystem and network of such ROPAX services and Water Taxi services at numerous other routes in all coastal states.
– global bihari bureau
