Satyagiri Shipping to operate Nariman Point-Borivali Sea Transport

Mumbai, Sep 12 (UNI) In a major decision that would create new transport route in the metropolis, the Maharashtra government has permitted Satyagiri Shipping to build the necessary shipping terminals and operate a shipping service between Nariman Point, the business hub in south Mumbai and Borivali, a distant suburb in North Mumbai.

''The government has recently granted a letter of award to Satyagiri Shipping permitting it to set up necessary shipping infrastructure and operate passenger shipping services between Nariman Point and Borivali. The company is determined to go ahead with the project and will start constructing the terminals before January 2007 and complete them within the next two years, providing Mumbai with a world-class water transport system,'' said the company chairman Nitin Joshi in a release here today.

Mr Joshi informed this while presiding over Asia-Pacific Business Partner Cities (BPC) Conference, which was hosted by Indian Merchants' Chamber (IMC) on September 8.

Over 50 representatives from a dozen Asia-Pacific cities like Osaka, Singapore, Hong Kong and Melbourne participated in the conference-Development of Urban Infrastructure and Disaster Management.

Mr Joshi said Mumbai's mass transport needs are presently being taken care of by the city's terribly congested north-south suburban railway services, besides a virtually creeping public road transport system.

''Our Nariman Point-Borivali sea transport will be a boon to the city, as it will provide a speedier, non-polluting and more comfortable alternative to the commuters,'' he informed.

He said the Maharashtra government was very positive in its determination to upgrade Mumbai to a world-class city.

The land-based mass transport systems like Metro Railway network are not enough to meet the transport needs of a city like Mumbai which requires shipping services around the city, he opined.

Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and other leaders have fully appreciated the need for establishing sea transport system around the metropolis and its suburbs and are committed to the project, he added.

UNI JM SSS SRS KN1649