The MMB had put the west coast project on hold till there was clarity on the BMC's proposed coastal road between South Mumbai and Kandivli
The long-pending plan for a passenger water transport project on Mumbai's western waterfront may finally get a push, with the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) reviving the idea and preparing to launch it in phases from Borivli to Nariman Point.
The MMB, which is the implementing agency, has floated expressions of interest (EoI) for developing passenger ferry services between NCPA at Nariman Point and Borivli, with plans for stoppages at Bandra, Versova, Marve, and Juhu in the subsequent phase.
Like the RoRo and passenger water transport facilities on the eastern coast, the west coast project, which was being handled by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) was later transferred to the MMB by the state government for implementation. The MMB had put the west coast project on hold till there was clarity on the BMC's proposed coastal road between South Mumbai and Kandivli.
"A direct, point-to-point passenger water transport service from Borivli to South Mumbai can be developed," Atul Patne, Chief Executive Officer, MMB, said.
"We have land at these two sites. So, we can develop it in a financially-viable manner, with facilities like restaurants," said Patne, adding that in the first phase, terminals will be developed near NCPA in South Mumbai and at Borivli. The MMB has 14 acres in its possession at Borivli. In the second phase, stoppages can be started at Bandra, Versova, Marve and Juhu.
The operators will have to deploy vessels with adequate utilities for ferrying passengers on the route. Patne said they would seek financial assistance for facilities like jetties, breakwaters and dredging under the Union Ministry of Shipping's Sagarmala project, and from the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) for the terminal. The MMB will also raise funds for the project by developing land at the site.
The MMB is also the nodal agency for the east coast water transport project, which includes passenger transport with RoRo services for vehicles. This will operate from three nodes, namely Ferry Wharf, Mandwa and Nerul, and is expected to commence in mid-2018.
With a catchment area of users travelling from Mumbai to Konkan, Navi Mumbai, Raigad and even Goa, it will help commuters save time and money on the stretch as compared to road travel. The long-pending transport system is being implemented jointly by the MMB, City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco) and Mumbai Port Trust (MbPt).
Maharashtra has a 720-km coastline, including 114 km in Mumbai, 127 km in Thane and Palghar, 122 km in Raigad, 237 km in Ratnagiri and 120 km in Sindhudurg. The state also has two major ports, namely the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) and the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT). However, it has not exploited the potential of its coastline to the optimum in terms of developing facilities like passenger water transport ports, marinas and captive jetties.
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