India’s first water taxi connecting Mumbai east coast with mainland in Navi Mumbai and other locations —— was inaugurated by Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in the presence of Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal recently. “The country’s first railway service was started by the British between Mumbai and Thane before it quickly spread all over India. The city always sets a trend that is emulated by the rest of the country, after Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj ruled over the seas,” Thackeray had said. Here’s is all you need to know about the water taxi service: (Image: Twitter/ Sarbananda Sonowal)
WHAT IS WATER TAXI?
According to Oxford dictionary water taxi is “a small motorboat for transporting paying passengers on rivers, canals, etc.” It is different from ferry, a boat service between two points.
MUMBAI-NAVI MUMBAI WATER TAXI: SALIENT FEATUERS
(Image: Twitter/CMO Maharashtra)1. The water taxi service will reduce communte time between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai — from the present 90-100 minutes by road to 40-45 minutes by the sea.2. It will also give a fillip to tourist places like Elephanta Island, Kanhoji Angre Isle and other places on the mainland in the Konkan.3. Four operators would run speed-boats as water taxis with a capacity of 10-30 passengers and catamarans that can ferry 56 passengers for mass transport, with provision for monthly passes for the regulars.4. The work on Belapur Jetty started in January 2019 and was completed in September 2021 at a cost of Rs 8.37 crore with state and Central funds.5. It has a huge parking area and presently three water taxi routes have been finalised linking the Domestic Cruise Terminal in south Mumbai with Belapur and JNPT on the mainland in Navi Mumbai, plus the Elephanta Caves.6. Luggage of 10 kg per passenger will be allowed, above which passenger will be charged Rs 1,000 per kg.
MUMBAI-NAVI MUMBAI WATER TAXI: SEATING CAPACITY
(Image: Koo/PIB India)According to a report in Indian Express, water taxi operator Infinity Harbour Services has a fleet of four boats – a 50-seater, a 40-seater, a 32-seater and a 14-seater, while West Coast Marine has two 12-seaters and a 20-seater.
MUMBAI-NAVI MUMBAI WATER TAXI: ROUTES
(Image: Twitter/CMO Maharashtra)
- Domestic Cruise Terminal at Ferry Wharf, Mazgaon, Mumbai and the terminals at Belapur, Navi Mumbai
- Belapur and Elephanta Caves
- Belapur and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust
- Other routes include International Cruise Terminal to Elephanta, Domestic Cruise Terminal to Rewas, Karanjade, Dharamtar, Domestic Cruise Terminal to Belapur, Nerul, Vashi and Airoli and DCT to Khanderi islands and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust.
MUMBAI-NAVI MUMBAI WATER TAXI: TIMINGS
(Image: Koo/PIB India)
MUMBAI-NAVI MUMBAI WATER TAXI: TICKET PRICE ON SHARED BASIS
(Image: Twitter/ Sarbananda Sonowal)
- From Domestic Cruise Terminal to Belapur and vice versa: Rs 1,210
- DCT to Dharamtar: Rs 2,000
- DCT to JNPT: Rs 200
- DCT to Karanja: Rs 1,200
- DCT to Kanoji Angre: Rs 1,500
- CBD Belapur to Nerul: Rs 1,100
- JNPT to Belapur: Rs 800
- DCT-JNPT-Elephanta-DCT: Rs 800
- Belapur-JNPT-Elephanta-Belapur: Rs 800
MUMBAI-NAVI MUMBAI WATER TAXI: HOW TO BOOK TICKETS?
For availing service though Infinity Harbour: (Image: myboatride.com)Step 1: Visit http://myboatride.com/index.aspxStep 2: Select the destinationStep 3: Select the seat of choice and enter passengers detailsStep 4: Pay via credit/debit cards or net banking.Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Assembly Elections Live Updates here.