Water transport in Mumbai
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File:Thane Creek and Elephanta Island 03-2016 - img36 ferry near Gateway of India.jpg]]
Water transport in Mumbai consists of ferries, hovercraft and catamarans.
Proposals to start more water services were initially mooted in the 1990s but were held up due to legal issues.{{cite news|title= Water transport to link western suburbs to South Mumbai |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-water-transport-to-link-western-suburbs-to-south-mumbai-1662071 |first=Dhaval |last=Kulkarni |date=14 March 2012 |work=Daily News and Analysis |location=Mumbai |access-date=3 Jan 2015}} Services are provided by both government agencies as well as private partners.{{Cite web|title=Transportation from Alibaug |url=http://raigad.nic.in/htmldocs/transportation.htm |publisher=Raigad District Authority |access-date=3 Jan 2015}}
Routes
=Uran - Elephanta=
The Maharashtra Maritime Board granted permission to a private operator to begin regular ferry services from Mora jetty in Uran to Elephanta (Gharapuri) from 15 April 2017.{{cite web|title=Thane, Navi Mumbai residents can soon take a ferry to Elephanta from Uran - Times of India|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/navi-mumbai/thane-navi-mumbai-residents-can-soon-take-a-ferry-to-elephanta-from-uran/articleshow/57763442.cms|website=The Times of India|access-date=26 March 2017}}
=Western Corridor=
File:BEST-ferry.jpg operated by BEST across the Manori Creek]]
The Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST), started a ferry operations between Manori and Marve Beach in 1981, but they were soon taken over by private operators.{{cite news|title=The B.E.S.T legacy lives on |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-the-best-legacy-lives-on-1984406 |first=Anita |last=Aikara |date=2 May 2014 |work=DNA|location=Mumbai |access-date=3 Jan 2015}}
Subsequently, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) was selected to undertake the work of setting up terminals at Nariman Point, Bandra, Juhu, Versova, and Marve Beach.{{cite news|title= MSRDC to finalise Mumbai's passenger water transport system |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-msrdc-to-finalise-mumbais-passenger-water-transport-system-1725622 |date=8 August 2012 |agency=DNA|location=Mumbai |access-date=3 Jan 2015}}
=Navi Mumbai=
Hovercraft used to ply between the Gateway of India in Mumbai and CBD Belapur and Vashi in Navi Mumbai between 1994 and 1999 but the services were subsequently stopped due to lack of sufficient water transport infrastructure.{{cite news|title=Navi Mumbai mulls hovercraft services |url=http://www.sify.com/news/navi-mumbai-mulls-hovercraft-services-news-national-llcwkhfijcisi.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924215722/http://www.sify.com/news/navi-mumbai-mulls-hovercraft-services-news-national-llcwkhfijcisi.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=24 September 2015 |date=3 November 2011 |work=Sify|location=Navi Mumbai |access-date=3 Jan 2015}} The services used British made hovercraft and were operated by as a joint venture between the government and Mahindra and Mahindra, an Indian conglomerate.{{cite news|title=Mahindra and Mahindra launches a hovercraft service in Mumbai |url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/mahindra-and-mahindra-launches-a-hovercraft-service-in-mumbai/1/282699.html |date=30 November 1996 |agency=India Today|access-date=4 Jan 2015}} The City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) and Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) floated proposals to restart hovercraft services from CBD Belapur to reduce travel time from an hour and more to less than half an hour.{{cite news|title= Another Gateway-Belapur waterway in the offing |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-another-gateway-belapur-waterway-in-the-offing-2022760 |first=Shankar |last=Abidi |date=1 October 2014 |work=Daily News and Analysis |access-date=3 Jan 2015}} The CIDCO developed hoverport in CBD Belapur was taken over by the Indian Coast Guard as an ad hoc base for providing security to water transport services till its permanent base at Nerul adjacent to Training Ship Chanakya was set up.{{cite news|title=Coast Guard to set up base in Navi Mumbai |url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/government-and-policy/coast-guard-to-set-up-base-in-navi-mumbai/article2591944.ece |date=2 November 2011|work=The Hindu Businessline|agency=Press Trust of India |location=Thane |access-date=4 Jan 2015}}
=Alibaug=
Catamarans and ferries are operated by private operators from the Gateway of India to Mandwa from where the operators run connecting buses to Alibaug. In 2009, following the 2008 Mumbai attacks, the Government of Maharashtra decided to shut down the jetties at the Gateway of India and instead open up newer ones near the Radio Club for boats bound for Rewas and Mandwa.{{cite news|title= 5 jetties may be shut down |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-5-jetties-may-be-shut-1225849 |first=Renni |last=Abraham |date=29 January 2009 |work=DNA|location=Mumbai |access-date=3 Jan 2015}}
In 2011, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), proposed to run roll on roll off (RORO) services from Ferry Wharf to Mandwa.{{cite news|title= RoRo your way to Alibaug at Rs620 |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-roro-your-way-to-alibaug-at-rs620-1603854 |first=Ninad |last=Siddhaye |date=27 October 2011 |work=Daily News and Analysis |location=Mumbai |access-date=3 Jan 2015}}
References
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