Mumbai’s first water transport system to get modern facilities

The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) plans to get state-of-the-art facilities for the city’s first water transport system from Borivli to Nariman Point.

City commuters who have put up with poor facilities in public transport systems for years may finally have a reason to cheer. The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) plans to get state-of-the-art facilities for the city’s first water transport system from Borivli to Nariman Point.

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SR Nandgirikar, special advisor, technical projects, MSRDC, said: “We plan to build state-of-the-art modern terminals which will have facilities at par with airports. There will be ample room for people to sit and adequate space for shopping.”

The Rs753.44-crore ferry service will have passenger terminals at six places namely Borivli, Marve, Versova, Juhu, Bandra and Nariman Point. Stalled for 27 years, the water transport system plan got the much-required boost in March when the MSRDC floated tenders for the construction of terminals for the project. The contracts will be awarded by the end of June.

Through its consultants Louis Berger, the MSRDC has informed the contractors, who have applied, that the design of the terminals should be aesthetic. The six terminals will also have sculptures with deep sea as its theme. “As the terminals will come up near the coast, the design will be inspired by the sea,” said a senior MSRDC official.

The estimated time for the service to get operational is 2 years.