- Mumbai Water Metro aims to ease traffic using ferries for modern water transport in India
- Maharashtra signed MoU with Norway's Hyke AS for advanced vessels and shipbuilding plans
- Project includes upgrading 24 terminals and building 21 new terminals in Mumbai region
The Mumbai Water Metro project, which envisages introducing ferries to ease traffic congestion in the metropolis and its adjoining areas, will usher in a new era of modern water transport in India, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Thursday.
The state government is committed to developing a sustainable and environmentally friendly water transport system to meet the growing transportation needs of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), he noted.
The CM said the government has been consistently working on the concept of sustainable water transport over the past decade and has prepared a comprehensive infrastructure plan for Mumbai.
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He was speaking after the Maharashtra Maritime Board signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Norway-based maritime technology company Hyke AS for the implementation of the water metro project.
According to an official release, the agreement aims to facilitate the supply of technologically advanced vessels for the Mumbai Water Metro project and explore the establishment of shipbuilding facilities in Maharashtra.
"Effective utilisation of waterways in a metropolitan city like Mumbai will help reduce pressure on existing transport systems. Demand for sustainable water transport is expected to grow rapidly across the country in the coming years," he was quoted as saying in the release.
The project, which seeks to reduce road and rail congestion by leveraging coastal and creek routes, will usher in a new era of modern and sustainable water transport in the country. The Mumbai model could serve as a guide for other cities, the CM maintained.
Fisheries and Ports Minister Nitesh Rane said the project marked a significant step in Maharashtra's maritime development and that collaboration with an international company like Hyke would provide a boost to port development, shipbuilding and maritime skill development in the state.
The release said a detailed project report (DPR) for the Water Metro project in the MMR has been prepared through Kochi Metro Rail Ltd.
The DPR proposes the upgradation of 24 terminals on 21 existing water transport routes and the construction of 21 terminals on 10 new routes in the MMR.
Hyke, which specialises in manufacturing modern vessels designed for urban water transport, has also expressed interest in setting up shipbuilding facilities in Maharashtra, the release added.
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