Mumbaikars have to wait longer for Navi Mumbai ferry

Mumbaikars may have to wait longer to travel to Navi Mumbai from the island city by water. The Ferry Wharf to Nerul arm of the east coast water transport project will be commissioned in mid-2019. However, the passenger and row-on row-off (RoRo) services for vehicles from Ferry Wharf to Mandwa in Raigad is expected to be launched in April.

This long-pending transport system is being implemented jointly by the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB), City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) and Mumbai Port Trust (MbPt) with terminals being constructed at Ferry Wharf, Mandwa and Nerul.

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 compared to road travel.

“Our terminal at Nerul is expected to be commissioned only in mid-2019 after which services can be launched. Unlike MMB and MbPT which have the requisite infrastructure, we had to start from scratch,” said a senior CIDCO official.

He added that work on the Rs 130 crore terminal building had begun a month ago due to time taken for CRZ clearances. Once commissioned, the jetty will be able to only accommodate passenger water transport boats as dredging in the channel is necessary if RoRo services are to be launched.

LONG-PENDING PLAN

The long-pending transport system is being implemented jointly by the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB), City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) and Mumbai Port Trust (MbPt).