‘Mumbai-Navi Mumbai water transport to start within 2 yrs’

Replying to the question raised by Sandip Naik and others the CM said that the Maharashtra Meritime Board has appointed consultants for the project

Water transport between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai would commence by March 2018, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis assured the Legislative Assembly during question hour. Provision in this regards has been made in the new port policy, he said.

While replying to the question raised by Sandip Naik, Ajit Pawar and others Fadnavis said that the Maharashtra Meritime Board (MMB) has appointed consultants for the project and actual preparing the waterway would require 18 months and hence the water transport is expected to begin in around two year's time.

“Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) has been entrustd with building a jetty at the new ferry warf and the union ministries have cleared all the permissions necessary for the jetties at Nerul in Navi Mumbai and Mandwa near Alibaug in neighbouring Raigad district where MMB would carry out the work,” he said.

Work at Mandwa has already reached level of tendering process, he added.

The Chief Minister also assured the house that feasibility report would be prepared regarding water transport between Navi Mumbai and Gate Way of India. Security of commuters on this way is the top most concern before planning the route, he said.

Replying to another question the Chief Minister said that the proposed cargo jetty at Nandgaon near Tarapur would make the state biggest handler of sea cargo in the country.

“But, we shall not move ahead without taking local villagers in confidence,” he added.

The jetty was proposed in 2011 and was granted all permissions in 2014. But, the villagers who opposed the jetty have moved to the National Ggreen Tribunal, he said.