Residents of Mumbai and Navi Mumbai can breathe a sigh of relief as they have a new mode of transporation for their commute. IN a recent announcement, the government has stated that four new routes of Ropex ferry and 12 new routes of water taxi service have been started in the city.
These service will operate between Bhaucha Dhakka to Belapur, Dharamtar, Rewas, and JNPT; and will be started from May 2021. The rest of the routes will start by the end of December 2021. This mode of transport is expected to reduce the load on roads and railways between Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Konkan.
Water taxi facility has been started in some places across Mumbai and Navi Mumbai and Raigad districts and reports state that the service will be run by private operators. The existing catamaran, Launch, will be used for this, added the Port Trust officials.
The jetty work for this project has been completed in some places and it is understood that the remaining work, across other areas, is being done on a war footing. At present, one has to cover a distance of 134 km by road from South Mumbai to Kashid in Konkan, which takes more than three hours. However, the distance by water is only 60 km and it will take only 2 hours to reach Kashid by Ropex service, whic is expected to begin soon.
At present,Ropex service is running for Mandwa-Alibag from Bhaucha Dhakka, and with this new addition, the same will be offered from Bhaucha Dhakka to Nerul, Bhaucha Dhakka to Mora and Karanja to Rewas, and this is anticipated to begin by the end of December.
On the other hand, the water taxi service for Belapur, Rewas, Dharamtar and JNPT will operate from Bhaucha Dhakka at primary level, starting in May 2021, whereby in the first phase, this taxi will be able to carry 10 to 14 passengers at a time. It is expected that the next phase will help additional 30 passengers travel at a time, said the officials. Besides, taxi service will also be operated from Gateway of India to Belapur in Vashi.
Water Taxi Services
Departure | Destination | Spacing | Time |
Bhaucha Dhakka | Nerul | 19 | 40m |
Bhaucha Dhakka | Belapur | 20 | 45m |
Bhaucha Dhakka | Airoli | 34 | 1h 15m |
Bhaucha Dhakka | Vashi | 23 | 40m |
Bhaucha Dhakka | Rewas | 18 | 1h 15m |
Bhaucha Dhakka | Karanje | 18 | 1h 30m |
Bhaucha Dhakka | Dharamtar | 40 | 1h 30m |
Bhaucha Dhakka | Kanhoji Angre | 19 | 40 |
Belapur | Thane | 25 | 20 |
Belapur | Gateway of India | 23 | 20 |
Vashi | Thane | 12 | 15 |
Vashi | Gateway of India | 25 | 20 |
Ropex Services
Departure | Destination | Interval | Time |
Bhaucha Dhakka | Nerul | 24 | 1h |
Bhaucha Dhakka | Kashid | 60 | 2h |
Bhaucha Dhakka | More | 10 | 30m |
Karaje | Rewas | 3 | 15m |