Maharashtra Fisheries and Ports Minister Nitesh Rane on Monday asked officials to submit a development plan for a water metro in Mumbai within three months.
The Kerala-based Kochi Metro Rail Corporation Limited, which was tasked with conducting a survey to start a water metro in Mumbai, submitted its report to Nitesh Rane during the day. Nitesh Rane said that the project will create an alternative transport system in Mumbai and work on it should start as soon as possible.
The report mentions the construction of a total of 29 terminals and 10 routes have also been selected. The project will include construction of facilities for passengers at the jetty terminal, purchase of boats, etc., for which a total cost of INR 2500 crore will be spent. The estimated cost is INR 5 crore per terminal.
Among the 10 routes proposed in the report include, Narangi – Kharwadeswari near Virar (1 km length), Vasai – Mira Bhayandar– Fountain Junction –Gaimukh– Nagale (16 km), Kalher–Kolshet– Mulund–Aeroli– Vashi– DCT – Gateway (50 km ), Gaimukh-Kolshet– Kalher– Mumbra– Kalyan (31 km), New airport-Belapur-Vashi (14 km), Vasai– Marve– Nariman Point (61 km), Borivali– Gorai– Essel world- Marve- Manori (6 km), Rewas- Karanja- Gateway (19 km), Belapur-Gateway-Mandwa (38 km) and Gateway-Elephanta-Nhava (17 km).
Out of these routes, five are projected to be financially viable after 2029 and two would require Viability Gap Funding (VGF) by the government to turn viable.
"The development plan for the water metro should be submitted within three months. There are huge opportunities for water transport in Mumbai, especially in Bandra, Worli, Versova, South Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. These opportunities should be fully considered while choosing the routes for the water metro," he said.
Routes with maximum passengers and maximum benefits should be chosen, he added, and ticket prices should be affordable.
"Water Metro would be a good option to connect the suburbs with Mumbai city and South Mumbai with Navi Mumbai. A development plan should be prepared considering all these aspects. Jetties and metro terminals should be developed on the lines of metro. Water Metro should be connected to other modes of transport," Nitesh Rane also said.
As per the report, by 2031, the realistic number of trips on these routes will 2.44 lakh while in 2041, it will be 3.42 lakh.