Catamaran services on east Mumbai coast by May

Navi Mumbai town planning authority Cidco on Tuesday said catamaran services between Nerul and Bhaucha Dhakka at Mazgaon will commence by May this year.

In 2017, City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco) had awarded the Rs 111-crore project to construct Nerul jetty, which is in the final stages of completion.

"Maharashtra Maritime Board, Mumbai Port Trust and Cidco are jointly developing water transport along the east coast of Mumbai. As a part of this development, Cidco is developing a jetty at Nerul, which is in the final stages of completion. We expect that by May this year, water transport services will commence," the authority said in a statement.

Cidco has also proposed to develop a terminal on 3.05 hectare land parcel which will have a 30-metre-wide and 655-metre-long road will be constructed from Palm Beach road to connect to the Nerul jetty.

It will also develop a terminal building which will house a waiting room, food court and other amenities as well asconstruct parking lots, navigational area and marshalling area.

Once operational, the waterfront will facilitate travel between Nerul and Bhaucha Dhakka in 30 minutes.

Cidco, along with Maharashtra Maritime Board, is developing jetties at Nerul, Vashi and Belapur, it said.