Minister for Ports and Fisheries Nitesh Rane in conversation with Vinaya Deshpande during The Hindu’s Maharashtra Infrastructure conclave 2026 at Taj President in Mumbai on May 22, 2026.
| Photo Credit: Emmanual Yogini
The residents of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) region will be able to take Water Metro services between Nariman Point, Versova, and Bandra by 2028, said Maharashtra Minister for Fisheries and Ports Development Nitesh Rane.
Mr. Rane outlined the progress made in the maritime sector in the State while speaking at The Hindu’s ‘Maharashtra Infrastructure Conclave 2026’.
“We are currently in the finalisation stage, the Detailed Project Report (DPR) on Water Metro has been submitted, and MoUs [Memoranda of Understanding ] have been signed, the process of shortlisting land is under way,” said Mr. Rane, adding that connecting Navi Mumbai Airport is also part of the plan.
As a part of MMR Water Metro services, six to eight routes with 21 to 22 Metro stations have been identified. “Taking inspiration from the water transport models of Sweden and the Netherlands, we have prepared a road map to connect Mumbai and the MMR region,” Mr. Rane added. The government is looking to run 250 electric boats on the Water Metro network, he further said.
The Water Metro initiative aims to transform inland waterways in urban areas into a modern mode of public transport.
Shipbuilding sector
Mr. Rane highlighted the potential of the maritime sector in the State to contribute to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s $5-trillion economy dream, saying: “The maritime journey has moved from Europe to the Asian side. China, South Korea, and Japan are leading the way, and we as a country are at 0.1%. So that’s where we need to take off from and develop the shipbuilding and ship-repair sector.”
“We are talking to a lot of operators. One such company is Candela. Their electric boat, which has a 30-passenger capacity, is arriving as early as May 25, and by the first week of June, we are going to start the trial. We are talking to different companies in Norway who are ready to give us 100-passenger and 30-passenger boats. Also, approached the traditional boat companies to convert their diesel boats into electric boats, and the government will help in funding,” Mr. Rane added.
Vadhvan port
Calling Vadhvan Port a game-changer project, Mr. Rane said, “We are offering people skill development courses. The port aims to offer jobs and we want locals to come and grab those opportunities.”
Speaking on the issues at the Sasoon Dockyard in South Mumbai, he said: “We have spoken to Finland to solve our problems. We are there to help fishing communities; it is a communication gap. We have the Mukhyamantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, a fisheries development scheme. The budget has been increased from over ₹200 crore to ₹1,000 crore,” said Mr. Rane.
Published – May 22, 2026 11:32 pm IST
