Water transport from Nerul jetty to start in a month

CIDCO has already appointed an operator - Drishti Life Line Private Ltd - which has procured a boat and is expected to begin the trials soon. CIDCO has also sought route permissions from Maharashtra Maritime Board to start the water transport service at the earliest.

NAVI MUMBAI: After years of waiting, the CIDCO-constructed Nerul Passenger Water Terminal (NPWT) is set to be operational in a month from now. CIDCO has already appointed an operator - Drishti Life Line Private Ltd - which has procured a boat and is expected to begin the trials soon. CIDCO has also sought route permissions from Maharashtra Maritime Board to start the water transport service at the earliest.

Water transport from Nerul jetty to start in a month

Even as the connectivity to Navi Mumbai was being upgraded with several road and bridge projects, metro, railway, and international airport, water transport had eluded the city with the planned projects failing to take off.

The over ₹150 crore NPWT constructed by CIDCO has been ready for around three years and was even inaugurated last year in May by the then chief minister Eknath Shinde. The facility is located at the east of NRI Complex, west of the Nerul-Uran rail route and North of Palm Beach Road, due to which it has smooth connectivity.

Following repeated tender processes, CIDCO has now completed the technical evaluation of the bids received by it and has appointed Drishti Life Line Private Ltd as the operator for the jetty. It will be responsible for both passenger and goods traffic.

Water transport to Mandwa in Alibag, trips to Elephanta Caves, and mangrove tourism along Navi Mumbai and Thane have been planned from here.

A CIDCO official said, “The route permission process from Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) is in its final stages. The operator appointed has got the first boat to initiate the service.”

He added, “CIDCO wants to promote water transport, with the Navi Mumbai International Airport becoming a reality soon. We are, hence, making all efforts to start the service in a month.”

There are plans to start RoRo service between Nerul and Mandwa, that will take just an hour. The vessel will have a capacity of 60 seats and will carry 50 vehicles. The service will be dependent on the tidal flow of the sea and will initially be started with just one boat.

“Eco-tourism along the coastal belt from Nerul to Sewri in Mumbai, and Thane flamingo sanctuary, Nerul to Bhau Cha Dhakka and Nerul to Elephanta tours, will also be undertaken. The Nerul to Elephanta distance will be covered in half an hour. The speed boat capacity will be 25 seats and can carry 10 vehicles,” the official added.