Mumbai: In a bid to decongest Mumbai, the Maharashtra government is planning to develop sea routes with water taxi services in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), a state minister said. A detailed project report (DPR) for this has been prepared, Ports Minister Nitesh Rane said on Tuesday.

‘We have seen the success of Mumbai Metro. On those lines, we will be starting water taxis in the MMR. We have already identified eight to nine routes,” he said. “We have the DPR and are speaking to international consultants,” the minister said.

The government will also introduce 30-seater electric vessels from the Gateway of India to Alibaug and the Elephanta Island, he said. Rane said 15 vessels are being procured from Candela Cruise, a Swedish company, and two of them will arrive in August.

The vessels will reduce pollution and provide public transport service at affordable rates. It will be managed by the Maharashtra Maritime Board, he said.

The existing wooden boats can continue to ply. Commuters will have a choice, like in the case of road transport service aggregators, the minister said.

Besides, a ‘Ro-Ro (roll on-roll off) service facility will be provided from Mazgaon in Mumbai to Malvan in Sindhudurg district and it will cover the distance in four-and-a-half hours. The first service will start during the Ganpati festival (later this year), he said.

Jetties are being constructed in Ratnagiri, Vijaydurg and Malvan for the service, Rane added.