Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has instructed officials to locate sites for new shipyards in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) to enhance water passenger transport. This move is part of an effort to support the construction of boats needed for the “Water Metro” project. Fadnavis stressed the importance of building these boats in local shipyards to maintain quality standards and announced plans for the country’s largest shipyard facility.
The Mumbai Water Metro Project, operating on a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, aims to establish 11 new waterways and 24 terminals covering a network of 340 km across MMR. By 2031, it is projected to serve 7.5 crore passengers annually. Private operators are set to manage 207 Electric/Hybrid vessels at an estimated cost of Rs 3,156 crore, while the Maharashtra Maritime Board will invest around Rs 3,436 crore in infrastructure development. Initial shipyard developments are planned for Nandgaon, Dighi, and Vijaydurg.
Aligned with the Central Government’s “Building Cluster” policy, the Maharashtra Maritime Board has signed MoUs to involve both public and private entities in shipbuilding. In the Maharashtra State Budget 2026-27, CM Fadnavis outlined ambitious urban governance plans, anticipating 70% of the state’s population to reside in urban areas by 2047, contributing significantly to Maharashtra’s GDP. The state also aims to expand the Metro network to 1,200 km and the expressway network to over 6,000 km, with key projects like Metro Line 11 (Wadala to Gateway of India) in Mumbai, estimated at Rs 23,487 crore.
