India's first water taxi service launched in Mumbai

The long-awaited and India's first water taxi service, which will connect the east coast of Mumbai to the Navi Mumbai mainland and other such locations in the city, was inaugurated on Thursday amid much fanfare.

Here's all we know about this service from what exactly is a water taxi, to the route it will run on and how much will it cost.

 A water taxi is used to provide public or private transport, usually, but not always, in an urban environment. The earliest water taxi service was recorded as operating around the area that became Manchester, England.

Water taxis are most popular in Venice where most people use the taxi acquei or motoscafi to navigate the waterways.

The water taxi service, which was first planted three decades ago, will considerably reduce commute time between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.

The water taxi service was flagged off from Belapur with a total of eight boats, seven speedboats with a capacity of 10 to 30 passengers each and a catamaran boat with a capacity of 56 passengers.

According to reports, the speed boats will take around 30 minutes to reach Bhaucha Dhakka in South Mumbai from Belapur in Navi Mumbai, while the catamaran service will take 45 to 50 minutes on the same route.

The much-awaited project will also have tourist spots like Elephanta Island and Kanhoji Angre Isle on its route.

Work on the Belapur Jetty project began in January 2019 and was wrapped up by September 2021. The state government spent Rs 8.37 crore on this project, which was implemented under the Sagarmala programme — a flagship programme of the Union shipping ministry to promote port-led development by harnessing India's extensive coastline.

The Mumbai Port Trust, Maharashtra Maritime Board, and City and Industrial Development Corporation {CIDCO} worked on this project together.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray inaugurated the new Belapur Jetty in Navi Mumbai, while Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal flagged off the service in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and other dignitaries.

Expressing gratitude to the Centre for prioritising the country's first water taxi, Thackeray said that it will go a long way in improving connectivity with Mumbai along with the network of roads, flyovers, subways.

Sonowal said that besides the water taxi and Belapur Jetty, the Centre is making efforts to develop various infrastructure projects in all coastal areas of the country under the Sagarmala Project.

The water taxi service, however, won't be a cheap mode of transport.

Speedboat fares have been fixed at Rs 800 to Rs 1,200 per passenger while Catamaran boats may cost Rs 290 per passenger. Reports state that a monthly pass will cost Rs 12,000.

Route of the water taxi

According to reports, initially, the water taxis will operate on three routes

• Domestic Cruise Terminal at Ferry Wharf, Mazgaon and the terminals at Belapur

• Belapur and Elephanta Caves

• Belapur and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust

An official was quoted as saying that the routes will be extended in the future. Other routes include International Cruise Terminal to Elephanta, Domestic Cruise Terminal to Rewas, Karanjade, Dharamtar, Domestic Cruise Terminal to Belapur, Nerul, Vashi and Airoli and DCT to Khanderi islands and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust.

How to book?

For booking details, one can visit the official website of Infinity Harbour.

Step 1: Select the Water taxi route from the options provided.

Step 2: Select the seat of choice.

Step 3: Pay via One-Click Payment option or through credit/debit cards or net banking.

This new mode of transport will provide Mumbai with some relief, as travel in the financial capital is a long and tedious process owing to the traffic.

According to global location technology firm TomTom Traffic Index, in 2021, Mumbai ranked fifth in the global ranking of urban congestion. The report had stated that Mumbai's congestion level was 53 per cent in 2021. A 50 per cent congestion level means that on average, travel times were 50 per cent longer than during the baseline uncongested conditions.

Also, Mumbai's suburban train network accommodates 70 lakh (7 million) passengers, making it the most crowded public transport in the city, according to central railway figures.

Hence, many note that the water taxi will be a boon to ease these travel woes.