India's First Water Taxi Service in Mumbai; Check Photos, Routes, Timings, Fares, and Step-by-step guide to Book Tickets

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posted on 2 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

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The water taxi service will reduce communte time between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai -- from the present 90-100 minutes by road to 40-45 minutes by the sea

India’s first water taxi connecting Mumbai east coast with mainland in Navi Mumbai and other locations —— was inaugurated by Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in the presence of Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal recently. “The country’s first railway service was started by the British between Mumbai and Thane before it quickly spread all over India. The city always sets a trend that is emulated by the rest of the country, after Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj ruled over the seas,” Thackeray had said. Here’s is all you need to know about the water taxi service:

WHAT IS WATER TAXI?

According to Oxford dictionary water taxi is “a small motorboat for transporting paying passengers on rivers, canals, etc.” It is different from ferry, a boat service between two points.

MUMBAI-NAVI MUMBAI WATER TAXI: SALIENT FEATUERS

1. The water taxi service will reduce communte time between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai — from the present 90-100 minutes by road to 40-45 minutes by the sea.

2. It will also give a fillip to tourist places like Elephanta Island, Kanhoji Angre Isle and other places on the mainland in the Konkan.

3. Four operators would run speed-boats as water taxis with a capacity of 10-30 passengers and catamarans that can ferry 56 passengers for mass transport, with provision for monthly passes for the regulars.

4. The work on Belapur Jetty started in January 2019 and was completed in September 2021 at a cost of Rs 8.37 crore with state and Central funds.

5. It has a huge parking area and presently three water taxi routes have been finalised linking the Domestic Cruise Terminal in south Mumbai with Belapur and JNPT on the mainland in Navi Mumbai, plus the Elephanta Caves.

6. Luggage of 10 kg per passenger will be allowed, above which passenger will be charged Rs 1,000 per kg.

MUMBAI-NAVI MUMBAI WATER TAXI: SEATING CAPACITY

According to a report in Indian Express, water taxi operator Infinity Harbour Services has a fleet of four boats – a 50-seater, a 40-seater, a 32-seater and a 14-seater, while West Coast Marine has two 12-seaters and a 20-seater.

MUMBAI-NAVI MUMBAI WATER TAXI: ROUTES

Domestic Cruise Terminal at Ferry Wharf, Mazgaon, Mumbai and the terminals at Belapur, Navi Mumbai
Belapur and Elephanta Caves
Belapur and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust
Other routes include International Cruise Terminal to Elephanta, Domestic Cruise Terminal to Rewas, Karanjade, Dharamtar, Domestic Cruise Terminal to Belapur, Nerul, Vashi and Airoli and DCT to Khanderi islands and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust.

MUMBAI-NAVI MUMBAI WATER TAXI: TIMINGS

The water taxis will operate 330 days a year and passengers can use it thrice a day between 8 AM to 8 PM with boats plying in the morning, afternoon and evening.
It will take 15 minutes for the commuters to travel from Mumbai to Elephant and JNPT.
From Mumbai to Belapur, Nerul, Vashi and Rewas it will take about 25-30 minutes.