The Mumbai water metro project, aimed at reducing traffic congestion in the city and surrounding regions, is expected to begin operations in phases starting December, Maharashtra Ports Minister Nitesh Rane announced on Monday.
Speaking to PTI, Rane said the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the water metro in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) is expected to be submitted by his department by February 28. The project, inspired by Kerala’s Kochi Water Metro, will introduce electric-powered boats to connect key locations across Mumbai and its suburbs.
According to the minister, the state government has identified six to eight routes to be connected through a network of battery-powered ferries under the water taxi initiative. The project is estimated to cost around ₹1,200 crore.
Once the DPR is submitted, discussions will be held with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to assess the feasibility of the proposed routes. Two routes will be selected initially for implementation in the first phase.
“We have decided to start with Mumbai city and then move to the wider MMR,” Rane said.
Within Mumbai city, the water metro services will focus on key coastal routes including Nariman Point, Worli, Bandra, Juhu, and Versova. The first phase will cover two of these routes.
Rane also highlighted the potential connectivity benefits, stating that once the Radio Club jetty near the Gateway of India is ready, the water metro could ferry passengers to the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport in just 40 minutes.
The formal announcement of the water metro project is expected to be made by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis during the Maharashtra state budget presentation scheduled for March 6.