The much-anticipated Mumbai water metro project is likely to begin operations in phases from December, Maharashtra Ports Minister Nitesh Rane announced on Monday. The initiative aims to introduce battery-powered ferries across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) to ease road congestion and offer a faster, eco-friendly commuting option.
Speaking to PTI, Rane said a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the proposed water metro network is expected to be submitted by his department by February 28. The state government has identified six to eight potential routes across the MMR under the Rs 1,200-crore project, which will operate electric boats as part of the larger water taxi plan.
After the DPR submission, discussions will be held with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to assess the feasibility of the routes. Two of the approved corridors will be prioritised for the first phase of implementation.
“We have decided to start with Mumbai city and then move to the wider MMR (which includes areas of adjoining districts),” Rane informed.
Initially, services within Mumbai will cover key coastal stretches including Nariman Point, Worli, Bandra, Juhu and Versova. “We plan to take up two routes in the first phase.” The minister also highlighted the strategic importance of the Radio Club jetty near the Gateway of India, stating, “Once the Radio Club jetty near the Gateway of India in south Mumbai is ready, water metro will take just 40 minutes to ferry people to the Navi Mumbai International Airport.”
The project is modelled on the Kochi Water Metro in Kerala. A formal announcement is expected during the state budget presentation on March 6.
Source: ET Infra
