Maharashtra Maritime Board will invite bid for the inland water transport project soon
Mumbai : After years of delay, the inland passenger water transport project is finally gathering steam on the city’s eastern waterfront. Maharashtra Maritime Board, the nodal agency for the project, will invite bids in August-end. The project envisions the use of catamarans and hovercraft for passenger transport and Ro-Ro vessels to transportation vehicles.
According to state government officials, in 18 months, after awarding the contract, citizens will benefit with the waterways connecting Mumbai with Mandwa and Uran. These vessels will be Ro Pax and RoRo (roll-on/roll-off) ferries and catamarans, which will have a capacity to accommodate 30-40 cars and around 250 passengers.
Three government agencies – CIDCO, MMB and Mumbai Port Trust – have split the project and will fund construction of terminals and jetty at Nerul, Mandwa and Ferry Wharf respectively. “The preliminary designs, etc are approved and ready. The tender preparations are also underway, and we are hopeful that we will float tender by August-end,” confirmed Asheesh Sharma, Chief Executive Officer, MMB. The bidding will be for contractor who would construct state-of-the-art passenger terminal and jetties, he added.
Sanjay Bhatia, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) said, “For our part of the project, which is construction of terminal and jetty, joint consultant were appointed and they have given us the presentation to all the three agencies. Once the detailed report is submitted by the consultant we will approach the CIDCO Board for its approval and then float the tenders.”
Bhatia added that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has asked the agencies to expedite the project. “The CM has given us a deadline that next year the project should be in place. We will invite tenders by next month,” Bhatia said.
According to Sharma, the cost of the construction of terminal and jetty at Mandwa is over Rs 100 crore. “The estimated cost is over Rs 100 crore as it also involves construction of breakwater structure. We estimate it to be around Rs 120-130 crore,” Sharma said. While Ferry Wharf terminal is estimated to be around Rs 70 crore.
The project was earlier being implemented by Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation, but state government, in April, handed over the project to MMB stating that it fell in their jurisdiction. MSRDC had finalised contractors to build terminals, but work orders were not issued as the agency did not have the funds or approvals. According to Sharma, there has been a considerable change in the method of implementing the project. “Earlier the project was on BOT basis and it wasn’t a viable project, so that has been changed completely with the three agencies investing money in the project,” he said.
“Once the terminals and jetties at the three spots are constructed, MMB will invite tenders to appoint the operator,” said Bhatia.
Meanwhile, the MMB has decide to put on hold the western waterfront plan on hold, which would have six terminals between Nariman Point and Borivali. “First we are focusing on eastern waterfront then subsequently we will take up the one on the western waterfront. Apart from the technical reasons, the recent proposal of Coastal Road is one of the reasons why it is not being pursued rigorously now,” Sharma said.
