Bengaluru: Mumbai will soon have other modes of transport with a view to promote eco-friendly waterways transportation and reduce the traffic load of crowded Mumbai city roads. As per a shipping ministry report, 4 new routes for ROPAX ferry services and 12 new routes of Water Taxi are planned to be operational by December, 2021.

It is to be noted that currently, ROPAX ((roll-on/roll-off passenger) service from Bhaucha Dhakka(Ferry Wharf) to Mandwa (Alibag) is successfully operating by reducing the road journey of 110 km to about 18 km by using waterways, thereby reducing travel time of daily commuters from about 3-4 hours to merely one hour. After the huge benefits being reaped of this ferry service, similar services are planned to be operational at various other routes in Mumbai. 

What such modes of transport mean is that they will help the commuters in a big way. Moreover, pollution will come down, transport will be peaceful and time-saving journey. It will reduce the travel cost and carbon footprint significantly. It would also cater for the requirements of increasing number of tourists and commuters at various stretches of Mumbai city.

Mansukh Mandaviya, minister of state for ports, shipping and waterways stated that operationalization of new waterways routes is a big step towards Narendra Modi’s vision of harnessing waterways and integrating them with the economic development of the country. It will open up new opportunities and avenues to create an ecosystem and network of such ROPAX services and Water Taxi services at numerous other routes in all coastal states.