Latest news with #MaharashtraMaritimeBoard
Time of India
15 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Gateway to Navi Mumbai Airport in 40 min: E-water taxis, marina to speed up commute
As work on the Rs 190 crore Gateway of India-Radio Club marina project has begun and the state govt has already announced plans for water taxis, the transport scenario on the city's eastern waterfront is slated to offer citizens game-changing commute to the upcoming Navi Mumbai airport. E-water taxi project Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) will operate 15 electric boats on the Gateway of India–Elephanta Caves–Alibaug route. Cost: Rs 330 crore; eachboat will cost Rs 22 crore. The plan, recently submitted to MMB, was suggested by Kochi Water Metro, the project consultant. Services likely to begin by end of monsoon, initially with 2 vessels, with capacity for 30 passengers each. Boat manufacturer : Candella, a Swedish firm specialising in hydrofoil technology. Design of the new boats Computer-guided underwater hydrofoil used to elevate hull out of water and minimise drag, giving illusion of flying. Hydrofoil boats consume much less energy than traditional high-speed ferries and operate at 18-30 knots. Marina project Currently, 30-35L passengers travel each year from jetties along the Gateway of India to Elephanta, Alibaug, and Navi Mumbai Given the huge potential, MMB has awarded contracts for the construction of marinas at Gateway of India and Radio Club, to tackle handling of 2.5 lakh+ passengers/year. How the marina and water taxis will help traffic bound for new airport Quick commute: 40-minute journey from south Mumbai to the airport Faster than road: It will save more than 30 minutes compared to travel via MTHL Eco-friendly travel: Electric taxis cut emissions and pollution Decongest roads: Less load on road and rail infrastructure Fuel saver: Less dependence on vehicles Scenic route: Pleasant travel via Mumbai harbour, Gateway, Elephanta and flamingo habitat at Nerul-Belapur creek Deadline for the project is 2027. The marina project will have a parking facility for 150 cars, huge terminal waiting areas, a luggage handling system, an open air amphitheatre and e-golf carts for transportation.
Time of India
24-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Drilling is cracking Gateway promenade wall: SoBo locals
Mumbai: Colaba residents have raised concerns about cracks in the stone wall of the Gateway promenade, extending beyond the cordoned jetty construction area. These cracks are allegedly caused by pile drilling for a new Rs 200 crore marina project for passenger ferry boats and catamarans, between Radio club and the Taj promenade. Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB), in collaboration with RKC International, is constructing a modern marina worth Rs 190 cr, designed to accommodate 20 passenger boats. MMB officials dismissed the concerns, stating the cracks predated the construction. They assert their advanced piling machine generates only 20 surds of vibration, well below the permitted 50-60 surds. MMB chairman Pradeep Prabhakar dismissed the circulated crack photos as "fake", stating the wall was already deteriorating before construction began. Dr Laura Dsouza, head of Cuffe Parade Residents Assn, said the wall has developed fresh cracks, with portions crumbling due to construction vibrations. Former resident and architect Moayyed Fatehi warned of irreversible nature of piles driven into rocky seabed and potential wall damage before rains. TNN Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Brother's Day wishes , messages and quotes !
India Today
05-05-2025
- Business
- India Today
How Maharashtra eyes a pie of global ship-breaking hub Alang's business
Maharashtra has become the first Indian state to approve a policy for shipbuilding and recycling. The cabinet approved the Shipbuilding, Ship Repair and Ship Recycling Policy, 2025 on April 29.A robust shipbuilding and repair industry has economic as well as strategic considerations for Maharashtra, which has a 720-km-long coastline spread over the districts of Palghar, Thane, Mumbai city and suburbs, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Rane, minister for ports and fisheries, said the policy aimed to attract investments to the tune of Rs 6,600 crore and create 40,000 jobs in the sector by 2030. 'By 2047, we are targeting an investment of Rs 18,000 crore and 330,000 jobs. We have formulated the policy accordingly,' he informed. The government also aims to provide skill development training to youth to help them get employment in the policy is also expected to generate revenue for the Maharashtra Maritime Board. The board will create infrastructure such as roads and capital subsidies for these projects. Rane said that while Alang in Gujarat has been the hub for ship-breaking activities, the Mahayuti government wanted to attract the business to Maharashtra and ensure that the state accounted for around a third of the ships broken down and recycled in the is the world's largest ship-breaking cluster. The global shipbuilding market is estimated at $70 billion (Rs 5.9 lakh crore), primarily dominated by China, South Korea and Japan. China's share of the shipbuilding business is 50 per cent, followed by South Korea (28 per cent) and Japan (15 per cent). India holds just 1 per cent of the global ship-repair market is worth $12 billion (Rs 1.01 lakh crore), and dominated by China, Singapore, Bahrain and Dubai. Globally, India ranks second in ship-recycling, but is facing rising potential competition from Bangladesh and Pakistan on account of higher yields and limited regulatory compliances. India is among the top five countries supplying trained manpower for the maritime India is one of the market leaders in ship-recycling, ship repair is a very nascent market in itself. Maharashtra's policy is in line with the Union government's Maritime India Vision 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision to India Today Magazine
Time of India
03-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Six new jetties in suburbs costing 120cr to be ready for passenger transport by '26
Mumbai: Commute around Mumbai is all set to get faster and more environmentally friendly by the end of next year. The construction of six out of 10 new jetties or water terminals planned in prominent coastal or creek/river-side suburbs in the region has been put into execution mode. "By Sep 2026, six new jetties costing Rs 120 crore will be ready for passenger water transport connecting Vasai, Kalyan, Bhayander, Kolshet, Kalher (Bhiwandi), and Dombivli," said senior state transport department officials, pointing out that the work orders were already issued to the contractors on the job. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai "Another Rs 124 crore will be pumped into water transport development in a couple of years, which will include construction of four jetties at Mulund, Meethbunder, Airoli, and Vashi. This phase is awaiting a green signal from the Centre, which is expected soon. Contracts will only be awarded following the nod," they added. Thus, the existing travel time of around two hours between South Mumbai and Vasai by road could be reduced to 40-50 minutes with the introduction of water taxis. Similarly, the Kalyan to Vasai trip, currently taking about 1 hour and 40 minutes, could be covered in 35-45 minutes by water. It may be recalled that over 12 years ago, MSRDC planned to execute water transport between Borivli and Nariman Point, which was shelved after coastal road and sea link plans gained momentum. The third stage of this project will also include five more jetties and Ro-Ro (roll-on/roll-off) ferry services and water ambulances, sources said. All of these projects are part of the national waterway development for which the Centre and the state's water transport arm, Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB), are jointly contributing. Once these jetties are completed, there are plans to operate water taxis to link existing locations such as Belapur, Panvel, Trombay, Bhaucha Dhukka (Ferry Wharf), Elephanta, and Gateway, officials pointed out. It may be noted that the state fisheries, water transport, and port minister, Nitesh Rane, has already announced the purchase of 15 green water taxis following the recommendations of the Kochi Water Metro Ltd, who were appointed consultants for the passenger water transport development in and around the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Potential 21 jetty sites have been identified by the state for building jetties in Thane, Palghar, Raigad, and Mumbai regions, with 10 being executed in the first two phases, whereas five more will come up in the third phase.
Hindustan Times
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
HC seeks state's response to plea challenging jetty near Radio Club
MUMBAI: The Bombay high court on Friday directed the Maharashtra government to submit its response to a petition challenging the construction of a proposed passenger jetty and terminal near Radio Club in south Mumbai by June 7. The petition – filed by around 150 residents of Colaba including proprietors, tenants and business operators – contends that the project poses substantial risk of causing irreversible harm to the heritage precinct, marine ecosystem, adjacent infrastructure, and the overall quality of life for thousands of residents and visitors. Residents have been opposing the project since it was first proposed in early 2023, and those who have voiced their concerns include BJP MLA and speaker of the legislative assembly Rahul Narwekar and former councillor Makarand Narwekar. The project involves construction of a terminal platform on stilts in the sea, which would include parking for 150 cars, VIP waiting areas, ticket counters, administrative offices, restaurants, and retail spaces, a tennis racquet-shaped jetty and an amphitheatre. According to the petition, Colaba residents were assured that plans for a jetty at the location had not been finalised and a proposal to shift it to a different place was under consideration. But in January-February 2025, they learned that the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) had revived the proposal. A ceremonial ground-breaking ceremony was conducted at the site without any prior public consultation or notification, the petition states. On April 24, 2025, officers and staves of MMB barricaded a portion of the sea front pavement, obstructing pedestrian access, causing inconvenience, and creating safety hazards in an already congested area, it notes. The project will require demolition or alteration of a part of the seaside promenade, which will substantially impact the historic character of the area and restrict public access to the promenade, the petition contends. The project raises serious national security concerns due to its proximity to the Naval Dockyard, a high-security defence installation, the petition further contends, urging the court to stay construction activities and quash the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance granted by the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) for the project. On Friday, senior advocate Aspi Chinoy, representing the petitioners, called the project arbitrary and illegal, and argued that clearances and no-objection certificates for the project were issued without following due process. Authorities had already barricaded the project area and demarcated the portion of the promenade that will be knocked down, Chinoy informed the court. Advocate general Birendra Saraf, appearing for the state, assured the court that the wall would not be broken before June 20. After the brief hearing, the division bench of chief justice Alok Aradhe and justice MS Karnik directed the respondents to file their reply by June 7, with any rejoinder to be submitted on or before June 12. The next hearing is scheduled on June 16.
