The M2M-1 Ropax Ferry Service has a capacity of carrying 500 passengers and up to 145 vehicles.
(Photo: Ashish Raje)
Much to the relief of daily commuters, job seekers and holiday-goers travelling to Mandwa and other parts of Alibaug, a new mode of transport, the M2M-1 Ropax Ferry Service commenced its operations on March 15. It has a capacity of carrying 500 passengers and up to 145 vehicles.
M2M Ferries Private Limited (MFPL), formed by the promoters of Mandwa Port LLP who have developed, operated and managed the passenger terminal at Mandwa teamed up with the Maharashtra Maritime Board and Mumbai Port Trust in their joint initiative to utilise Mumbai’s waterways more effectively to launch the new Ropax ferry service – making Mumbai the first metropolitan city in India to introduce a Ropax service to its transport infrastructure.
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Much to the relief of daily commuters, job seekers and holiday-goers travelling to Mandwa and other parts of Alibaug, a new mode of transport, the M2M-1 Ropax Ferry Service commenced its operations on March 15. It has a capacity of carrying 500 passengers and up to 145 vehicles. pic.twitter.com/sOacGLGIfC
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The ferry service will run a daily service between Mumbai’s Ferry Wharf Terminal and the purpose-built Mandwa Ropax Terminal every three hours. The first month will have limited services and time schedules that will be published on the official website.
Single and Return Tickets can be purchased from the ticketing counters at Ferry Wharf, Mumbai and Mandwa Jetty, Alibaug. The passenger fares for the outer deck seating is Rs 225, indoor AC seating is Rs 335 and the VIP lounge is Rs 555. For vehicles, small cars are priced at Rs 880, medium cars at Rs 1320, and large cars at Rs 1,760. Motorcycles are priced at Rs 220 and Bicycles are priced at Rs 110. Minibus fares are set at Rs 3300 and Buses at Rs 5,500. However, the ferry will start transporting buses in a few months.
The website for online bookings (www.m2mferries.com) will be operational from March 19 allowing the ease of buying tickets or passes from the convenience of one’s home or office. In addition to this, MFPL will offer additional infrastructure to commuters with bus services that will pick up and drop commuters from and to key locations in South Mumbai i.e. Churchgate Station, CSMT, and in sometime from Dockyard station at a discounted price for ticket holders.
Since the Ro-Pax service is now allowing one to drive their vehicles on board and sail across between Mumbai to Mandwa in around an hour, Alibaug and the surrounding Konkan region will experience a boost in hinterland connectivity, tourism activities and an increase in job opportunities in Mumbai as the daily commute throughout the year would now be possible. Alibaug is now a suburb of Mumbai, and M2M-1 will facilitate accessibility for residents to commute to Mumbai city for work, schooling or even leisure.
Currently travellers can reach Mandwa by road through a 111 km drive that can take 5 hours or alternatively can opt for a ferry / catamaran journey or a speedboat ride. Of these, the ferry and speedboat journeys come to a complete halt from the months of May to October during the monsoon season, adding to commuter woes. The M2M-1 Ropax Ferry will be operational through 365 days of the year, without any halt in services during the Monsoons, offering much needed relief to the 20 lakh passengers who travel between Gateway of India in Mumbai and Mandwa, Alibaug in the current period of 9 months of ferry service. Besides the pathbreaking infrastructure that the Ropax Ferry brings to the country, It will also reduce road traffic in Alibag, bringing down harmful fuel consumption and pollution drastically.
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