Mumbai: The water taxi service that will connect Mumbai and Navi Mumbai by water is all set to be inaugurated on February 17, after a long delay caused due to the pandemic. The water taxi will be inaugurated by Union Ports and Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, and the service shall be opened for the general public thereafter.
Considering the infamous traffic problem in Mumbai, the state government had declared the launch of water taxis and Ropex ferries last year, in order to connect the cities near Mumbai by water. The move was intended to break the perpetual traffic deadlock and promote eco-friendly waterways. Accordingly, Maharashtra Port Trust and Maritime Corporation had started working on the project. However, the construction of the jetty was hampered midway because of the pandemic.
In fact, the water taxi that was supposed to run between Mumbai and Belapur was ready and parked at the domestic cruise terminal for a long time, but wasn't functional because of the delay in its inauguration. The authorities have, however, confirmed that the water taxis shall be fully functional after the inauguration scheduled for February 17.
Two private companies, Infinity Harbor Service and West Coast Marine, shall be responsible for monitoring the water taxi service. In the first phase, three water taxis with 32 seats, 40 seats, and 50 seats will be operated on the Mumbai-Navi Mumbai-Elephanta route. The passengers will be charged Rs 290 per trip from Domestic Cruise Terminal to Mazgaon International Cruise Terminal and Elephanta, while a monthly pass will be charged for Rs 12,000.
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