Mumbai and Navi Mumbai will be connected to the far flung areas of Thane district by ferry services if a plan being prepared by the Maharashtra is implemented.

The State Government plans to create a new navigation channel, which will connect the two cities by a number of inland waterways and sea routes.

Mr Ganesh Naik, State Minister for Excise and Guardian Minister of Thane, told Business Line that the initial cost for creating the channel in the first phase alone is estimated at Rs 1,000 crore. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has been asked to carry out the feasibility study, he said.

Cargo potential

The primary objective of the project is to provide a comfortable passenger service, it could also tap the potential of cargo transportation, officials associated with the preparation of the plan said.

The technical and commercial viability study of connecting Panvel and Vashi with Gateway of India, Vashi with Kasheli Bridge and then further connecting it to Arnala and Zai and linking Kalyan with Arnala would be undertaken. The study will also look at various aspects such as creating new jetties and breakwaters on the routes, the Minister said.

“There is a demand for such connectivity, which will ease the pressure on the road and the rail network,” Mr Naik said.

A number of projects connecting south Mumbai with western suburbs are being under implementation. But Navi Mumbai area, in spite of having a long coastline, has no major passenger transport facility.

In mid-1990 there was a hovercraft service between Gateway of India and Navi Mumbai but it was closed after a short run.

Coastal projects

Former World Bank Transportation Expert, Mr Arun Mokashi, who in the past has also prepared a number of coastal shipping studies, said that there is a need for political will and support to implement such projects. It will require huge investments and trained manpower to maintain it.

“Agencies like MMRDA can only guide but actual implementation and oversight will have to be done by a coastal transport corporation along with private sector operators,” Mr Mokashi said.

The service, purely based on passenger transport, will not be financially viable. It will have to be cross-subsidises by cargo and Roro (Roll-on/roll-off) service, he said.

Mr Anil Devli, CEO of Indian National Ship Owners Association, said that the inland passenger service around Navi Mumbai is possible but it would have to be financially viable. Most cities around the world offer such services, he said.

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