Nayantara Shipping has launched a water taxi service between the Gateway of India in South Mumbai and Belapur in Navi Mumbai, with the approval of the Mumbai Port Trust (MPT). The vessel, named ‘Nayan XI’, will be the only service on this route and has a capacity to seat 140 passengers on the lower deck and 60 passengers on the upper deck. The service began in February and the vessel will sail from Belapur to the Gateway in the morning and from the Gateway to Belapur in the evening. The tickets for the lower deck are priced at INR 250 and for the upper/business deck at INR 350.
To resolve last-mile connectivity from Belapur station, a sharing rickshaw service will be available for commuters to the jetty at INR 10 per person. From the Gateway, shared cabs and buses will be available to commute to Church Gate and CSMT stations. The vessel was built in Goa and arrived in Mumbai last year, and underwent trials before being approved for operation. The owner initially operated the service between the Domestic Cruise Terminal (from Bhaucha Dhakka-DCT) to Mandwa, but footfall was low due to last-mile connectivity issues. The Gateway is a popular spot for water transport services, providing better connectivity.
The water taxi service aims to provide an alternative and convenient mode of transportation for commuters, reducing congestion on roads. With the success of the service, it is expected that more such services will be launched on other routes in future.
