Civic corporations form panel for water transport project

To speed up inland water transport between Thane and other cities, a joint committee of Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) with other municipal corporations was formed on Wednesday.

The committee comprised officials from TMC, Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation, Mira Bhayander, Vasai, Virar and Bhiwandi Nizampur Municipal Corporations.

Last week, the TMC presented the proposal of starting inland waterways to the central ministry and also got in-principle approval for it. Following this, the civic commissioner Sanjeev Jaiswal had called a meeting with other municipal corporations.

Sandep Malvi, public relations officer, said, “A discussion regarding working on the proposal for this project was conducted. The corporations will have to check the feasibility of various aspects of this project. A proposal will have to be made which will be presented to the central government. A meeting of this joint committee will beheld every month.”

In Thane the water transport will start from Kolshet, Saket and Diva towards Kalyan, Bhiwandi, Borivli and Vasai Virar. “The prime station of this transport will be at Kolshet. We have planned to construct waiting rooms, ticket windows and parking facility at this station. A plan for this will he prepared by the committee with the help of the maritime board. The work of constructing a jetty at Gaimukh Port is also undertaken which will be completed before March,” Malvi added.

The state government has recently announced water transport between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. Thane city, in its first phase of water transport project, will start water transport to Kalyan, Vasai, Virar and Bhiwandi.

In the second phase the city has proposed to the centre to start water transport from Thane to Gateway of India or till a jetty nearby the Gateway.

The TMC will make a Detailed Project Report based on this study and submit to the central government for approval.

The corporation had promised to start the first phase, which is the water transport from Thane to Kalyan, Vasai, Virar and Bhiwandi within a year.