Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the long-awaited water taxi service from Mumbai to Navi Mumbai during his visit to Mumbai in the first week of January, official sources told The Indian Express.
The PM will also inaugurate a chemical terminal at the Mumbai Port Trust that has been operational since October.
The water taxi service will reduce commute time between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.
In a recent press release, the City and Industrial Development Corporation said its managing director Sanjay Mukherjee and others senior officials reviewed the work on the project.
"The Nerul Passenger Water Terminal, being developed on Panvel Creek as part of the Eastern Waterfront project, will reduce the stress on roads and railway services and people of Navi Mumbai will have an alternative mode of travel to south Mumbai," Mukherjee said.
As part of the plan for development of internal water transport on the east coast of Mumbai, such terminals and other infrastructure are being built at Bhaucha Dhakka in Mumbai, Nerul in Navi Mumbai and Mandva at Alibaug by Mumbai Port Trust, CIDCO and Maharashtra Maritime Board, respectively.
The CIDCO release said the approximately 11 nautical mile distance between Bhaucha Dhakka and Nerul will be covered in 30-45 minutes through speed boat and catamarans.
(With agency inputs)
