Mum to get amphibious buses, catamarans that carry vehicles

MUMBAI: Union surface and water transport minister Nitin Gadkari said on Friday that Mumbai will get amphibious buses and roll-on roll-off (ro-ro) services, which will connect the island city with the distant suburbs. Ro-ro vessels can carry buses and cars with passengers in them.
“The central government will lend full support to the state in exploring passenger water transport services on the eastern waterfront.We are placing an order for an amphibious bus to run it on pilot basis. If it achieves success, we will run services along the eastern seafront and other water routes in the country,” Gadkari said while interacting with journalists during his visit to the state legislature in Nagpur, which is his parliamentary constituency and is hosting the winter legislative session. Gadkari told journalists about possible water routes that can be explored in the Thane creek between the eastern shore of Mumbai and Bhayandar.
During a debate in the assembly, minister of state for urban development Ranjit Patil said state agencies were already studying a passenger water route encompassing Gaimukh in Thane, Bhayandar creek, Vasai, Gorai, Borivli, Mira Road, Kalyan, Vashi and Mumbai. He said two other routes were being considered for improved water transport: Ferry Wharf to Nerul and Ferry Wharf to Mandwa.
To give a push to Mumbai’s transport projects, Gadkari backed chief minister Devendra Fadnavis’s move to set up a joint centre-state committee under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Gadkari said while 44% of transport in China is on water, the figure for India is three per cent. “We are planning to launch light-weight catamarans made of aluminium that can carry eight buses with passengers via sea. With such catamarans and amphibious buses, we can explore routes between CST and Thane via Navi Mumbai.”