News: Fast boat from Nariman Point to Bandra in 20 minutes flat!
(Afternoon 27/10/2006) Mumbai - The proposed Passenger Water Transport system will ease commuting nightmares in Mumbai big time!
Finally, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation Limited’s (MSRDC) dream of giving a new transport corridor to the harassed Mumbai commuters on the western waterfront is all set to come true. Last year, the state government appointed MSRDC as nodal agency to implement the Passenger Water Transport (PWT) project in the city.
Interestingly, the project has finally been awarded to the Mumbai-based Satyagiri Shipping Company (SSC) by the MSRDC. And according to plans made by SSC, high-speed hovercrafts will be used to transport passengers commuting between Nariman Point and Bandra in 20 minutes flat. The SSC will build six terminals at Nariman Point, Bandra, Juhu (near Holiday Inn), Versova, one either at Erangal or Charkop and Borivali.
The company will initially run 100-seater hovercrafts or 200-300 seater catamarans at 30-minute intervals and the work is expected to begin in January.
The SSC will also provide passengers with facilities like well-equipped approach roads, terminal buildings with amenities like waiting halls, cafeterias, restaurants, libraries, fire fighting and safety measures, navigational aids, communication systems, appropriate berthing piers for safe and efficient mooring of crafts, embarking and disembarking at different states of water levels at different stages of tides, and all other facilities required for comforts of the passengers. All this will turn into a reality in just two years.
Sources in MSRDC said, “During the past two decades the existing rail and road services in Mumbai have become highly congested and the traffic levels have reached saturation conditions. The Passenger Water Transport facility is envisaged to go a long way in relieving pressure on the overloaded commuting systems operating in this city. The water transport system will be affordable to passengers. It will give competition to BEST and the Railways as people would prefer to use the water transport for time management.”
The project is anticipated to cost Rs. 1,000 crore including terminals, dredging, and breakwaters besides the cost of the crafts. The all-weather hovercrafts are being purchased from ABS Hovercrafts of UK.
“We have been awarded the project and have cleared all formalities for the execution of work. We are supposed to obtain the concession certificate and possession of land from the BMC for the construction of terminals by next month. Then we will slowly start construction by January and the work is expected to be complete in two years. The hovercrafts will be specially designed as per the wind force and climatic conditions of Indian seas,” said Nitin Joshi, chairman and managing director of SSC.
Finally, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation Limited’s (MSRDC) dream of giving a new transport corridor to the harassed Mumbai commuters on the western waterfront is all set to come true. Last year, the state government appointed MSRDC as nodal agency to implement the Passenger Water Transport (PWT) project in the city.
Interestingly, the project has finally been awarded to the Mumbai-based Satyagiri Shipping Company (SSC) by the MSRDC. And according to plans made by SSC, high-speed hovercrafts will be used to transport passengers commuting between Nariman Point and Bandra in 20 minutes flat. The SSC will build six terminals at Nariman Point, Bandra, Juhu (near Holiday Inn), Versova, one either at Erangal or Charkop and Borivali.
The company will initially run 100-seater hovercrafts or 200-300 seater catamarans at 30-minute intervals and the work is expected to begin in January.
The SSC will also provide passengers with facilities like well-equipped approach roads, terminal buildings with amenities like waiting halls, cafeterias, restaurants, libraries, fire fighting and safety measures, navigational aids, communication systems, appropriate berthing piers for safe and efficient mooring of crafts, embarking and disembarking at different states of water levels at different stages of tides, and all other facilities required for comforts of the passengers. All this will turn into a reality in just two years.
Sources in MSRDC said, “During the past two decades the existing rail and road services in Mumbai have become highly congested and the traffic levels have reached saturation conditions. The Passenger Water Transport facility is envisaged to go a long way in relieving pressure on the overloaded commuting systems operating in this city. The water transport system will be affordable to passengers. It will give competition to BEST and the Railways as people would prefer to use the water transport for time management.”
The project is anticipated to cost Rs. 1,000 crore including terminals, dredging, and breakwaters besides the cost of the crafts. The all-weather hovercrafts are being purchased from ABS Hovercrafts of UK.
“We have been awarded the project and have cleared all formalities for the execution of work. We are supposed to obtain the concession certificate and possession of land from the BMC for the construction of terminals by next month. Then we will slowly start construction by January and the work is expected to be complete in two years. The hovercrafts will be specially designed as per the wind force and climatic conditions of Indian seas,” said Nitin Joshi, chairman and managing director of SSC.
posted by InCar Group Press Room at 14:41
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