Mumbai water metro likely to roll out from December: Minister Nitesh Rane
Mumbai (PTI): The Mumbai water metro project, which envisages introducing battery-powered ferries to ease traffic congestion in the metropolis and its adjoining areas, is expected to roll out from December in phases, Maharashtra Ports Minister Nitesh Rane said on Monday.
Talking to PTI here, Rane said a Detailed Project Report (DPR) on water metro in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) is expected to be submitted by his department by February 28.
The state government has chalked out six to eight routes in the MMR to be connected through a network of electric-powered boats under the water taxi project which is estimated to cost Rs 1,200 crore, according to the minister.
He said after the DPR is submitted, discussions would be held with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on feasibility of routes and two of the finalized routes would be taken up first for implementation.
"We have decided to start with Mumbai city and then move to the wider MMR (which includes areas of adjoining districts)," Rane informed.
Water metro services within Mumbai city will focus around Nariman Point-Worli-Bandra-Juhu-Versova routes, said the minister, adding "We plan to take up two routes in the first phase."
"Once the Radio Club jetty near the Gateway of India in south Mumbai is ready, water metro will take just 40 minutes to ferry people to the Navi Mumbai International Airport," he noted.
Rane said formal announcement regarding the project, modelled on the Kochi water metro in Kerala, will be made by Fadnavis in the state budget to be presented on March 6.
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PM must resign when TMC wins Bengal: Derek O'Brien
Kolkata (PTI): Trinamool Congress's Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien on Wednesday expressed confidence that his party will come back to power in the state after the assembly elections and challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to resign when the results come.
In a video shared on microblogging site X, O'Brien accused the prime minister of making exaggerated political claims and urged him to "accept the challenge" instead of indulging in "big talk."
"Narendra, you had announced that you are the candidate on all 294 seats in West Bengal. Leave out the big talk and accept this challenge..." O'Brien wrote.
He asserted that if the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC wins the state, the prime minister should step down from his post. "When Mamata Banerjee and TMC win West Bengal, you will resign from your post as the prime minister," he said.
The remarks come amidst an intensifying political contest in West Bengal, where the ruling TMC and the Bharatiya Janata Party are engaged in a high-stakes electoral battle.
Polling is taking place in 142 constituencies in the second and final phase of the assembly elections on Wednesday, amid unprecedented security arrangements and a high-intensity contest that could decide whether the ruling TMC retains its dominance over the southern districts or the BJP can force open the gates of power in the state.
