The government will also introduce 30-seater electric vessels from the Gateway of India to Alibaug and Elephanta Island, Ports Minister Nitesh Rane said
Representational Image. Pic/Pixabay
In a bid to decongest Mumbai, the Maharashtra government is planning to develop sea routes with water taxi services in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), a state minister has said, reported news agency PTI.
A detailed project report (DPR) for this has been prepared, Ports Minister Nitesh Rane told PTI in Mumbai on Tuesday.
"We have seen the success of Mumbai Metro. On those lines, we will be starting water taxis in the MMR. We have already identified eight to nine routes," he said, reported PTI.
"We have the DPR and are speaking to international consultants," the minister said.
The government will also introduce 30-seater electric vessels from the Gateway of India to Alibaug and Elephanta Island, he said, reported PTI.
Rane said 15 vessels are being procured from Candela Cruise, a Swedish company, and two of them will arrive in August.
The vessels will reduce pollution and provide public transport service with affordable rates. It will be managed by the Maharashtra Maritime Board, he said.
The existing wooden boats can continue to ply. Commuters will have a choice, like in the case of road transport service aggregators, the minister said, reported PTI.
Besides, a 'Ro-Ro (roll on-roll off) service facility will be provided from Mazgaon in Mumbai to Malvan in Sindhudurg district and it will cover the distance in four-and-a-half hours. The first service will start during the Ganpati festival (later this year), he said, reported PTI.
Jetties are being constructed in Ratnagiri, Vijaydurg and Malvan for the service, Rane added.
Mumbai roads to be fully concretised by April 2027: Deputy CM Shinde
The road network in Mumbai will be fully concretised and made pothole-free by April 2027, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Tuesday.
When he became chief minister in 2022, his government decided to concretise 700 km of roads in the city, and the work was in progress on 400 km of roads, he said.
"Between December 2026 to March-April 2027, 100 per cent of roads will be concretised," Shinde told reporters.
The deputy CM, who is also the Urban Development Minister, was inspecting the progress of the concretisation of roads before the start of the monsoon.
Utility ducts have been made along the roads so that there is no need to dig them up again and again for fresh utility works, he further said.
'M60' material is being used for 'Ultra Thin White Topping' of roads, Shinde said, adding, "The roads will last for 25-30 years and will be accident-free and pothole-free."
(With inputs from PTI)
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