In a development which can transform Mumbai’s commuter transport on the congested western rail-road corridor by 2015-16, the experts’ appraisal committee (EAC) of the Union environment ministry (MoEF) has accorded green clearance to the city’s west coast water transport project between Borivli and Nariman Point.
The EAC’s recommendation for coastal regulation zone (CRZ) clearance, considered the final nod for eco-clearance, has come in as the state’s infrastructure arm—the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC)—is ready with contractors to build six passenger terminals.
The project can reduce suburban car and to an extent rail traffic. MSRDC officials said around a lakh commuters are initially expected to use the airconditioned transport system and over the next two years over two lakh commuters will use it. The construction period for terminals, six for west coast and three for east coast, is of two-and-a-half years and they will cost Rs 750 crore and Rs 450 crore respectively. The state will charge Rs 5 per km from each passenger.
THE GRAND 750 CR PLAN
Maharashtra is building six passenger water transport (PWT) terminal buildings at Borivli, Marve, Versova, Juhu, Bandra and Nariman Point, with six to eight jetties each, spending 750 crore from its own kitty
Construction period is two-and-a-half years
By 2015-16, operations on 45-km route between Borivli and Nariman Point are expected to start at 225 per passenger
Fare structure on other routes will be decided later, with a base rate of 5 per km
While the government has appointed contractors to build terminals, four will run their hovercraft and catamarans of 200 to 350 passenger capacity each
Terminals will have arrival and departure wings, with ticketing facilities, a garden, toilets, bookstalls and canteens
Work order to contractors to build terminals is to be given approval by cabinet committee led by chief minister and chief secretary
Taxi charges up to 450 between Borivli and Nariman Point in one-and-a-half hours. Against this, water transport fare will be almost half and travel time will be 50 minutes and pollution-free
Mumbaikars will be able to catch the vessels from any of the six terminals every 15 minutes during peak hours and every 30 minutes otherwise
THE TERMINALS
Nariman Point (near NCPA)
Bandra (near Sea Link)
Juhu (near beach)
Versova (close to creek)
Marve (in creek)
Borivli (Gorai)
INITIAL ROUTES
Nariman Point-Borivli
Nariman Point-Juhu
Juhu-Versova
Nariman Point-Bandra
Nariman Point-Versova
Bandra-Juhu
Versova-Borivli
Bandra-Borivli
Bandra-Versova
Juhu-Borivli
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