BEST mulls Gateway-Navi Mumbai water taxi services

MUMBAI: The BEST undertaking is deliberating on the proposal to run water taxi services between the Gateway of India to Belapur, Uran and JNPT.
Water taxi facility was introduced between Marve and Manori in 1990 through a BEST initiative. But due to technical reasons, it was discontinued.
Sources said BEST is in talks with the Mumbai Maritime Board and Union ministry of shipping to know the modalities on running water taxi services in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. A water taxi, costing around Rs 1.5 crore, can carry a maximum 12 passengers per trip. BEST officials said the concept may look good on paper, but there are practical difficulties. As per the BEST's budget, the deficit estimate for 2023-24 was Rs 2,000 crore, mainly losses in the transport division. The BMC provides a financial aid of Rs 60 crore per month, but it is not sufficient to overcome the losses. BEST general manager Lokesh Chandra said, "There is still no clarity on the policy on operating water taxi services. Hence, there is no concrete plan yet."
In February 2022, a water taxi service was flagged off between Belapur and the Gateway of India by the then CM Uddhav Thackeray and Union shipping minister Sarbananda Sonowal. But the service was suspended after a few months. Exactly a year later, a private player launched a water taxi service on the same route.