While the state government has fast-tracked almost every Metro project connecting the suburbs with south Mumbai to decongest suburban local trains and roads, the much-delayed plan of a water transport ferry connecting Nariman Point and Borivali has been put on cold storage yet again.
This time, the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) has said it's a costly affair and it found no takers to get the project moving.
"Our last attempt was in 2017, after which we got a response from only one operator, who was interested in running the ferry between Nariman Point and Borivali, but didn't get back to us once he understood the whole concept," one MMB official said.
"Unlike the Gateway of India, the water between Nariman Point and Borivali is the open sea. We need vessels of that capacity. Even if we get a vessel that can ferry in open sea, its cost will not be affordable. Moreover, the services wouldn't be operational during the monsoons. Because of all this, operators fear the people won't take to it," the official added.
The plan to have a water transport ferry to connect north and south Mumbai was planned in the late 1990s, but has been on paper ever since. Several attempts have been made, but private operators cited financial viability to not take it up.
Another fear private operators have is over loyalty from customers. "If we shut ferry services during the monsoon, we cannot assume regular users will continue using it during non-monsoon times. Commuters don't generally like to change their modes of transportation," another MMB official said.
NO TAKERS
- Operating the ferry was proving to be an expensive proposition, and private players stayed away.
- They felt it won’t be a success because it would shut during the monsoon, and commuters don’t like to change their route.
