Business Line 18.02.2010
Mumbai coastal waterway project may run into rough weather
Rahul Wadke
Mumbai, Feb. 17
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority's Rs 100-crore plan for a coastal waterway project on the eastern coastline of Mumbai looks set for rough weather, faced with environmental and security clearances, besides octroi worries.
Over the last 40 years, coastal waterways have been suggested for Mumbai by several transport planners. An attempt in the mid-1990s to connect the Gateway of India with Navi Mumbai using hovercrafts ran aground because of exorbitant fares and bad maintenance by the operators.
Latest proposals
MMRDA last week made the budgetary provision for a catamaran service connecting Ferry Wharf in central Mumbai with Navi Mumbai on the outer fringe of the city. A Roro service (a ferry that carries cars as well) was also planned connecting Ferry Wharf to Mandwa, near Alibaug. But the project could face inordinate delay in getting local clearances from a number of State Government bodies, besides environmental clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, said a senior transportation expert and advisor to the State Government.
