The Maharashtra government is developing a bold proposal to build a water transit system to Mumbai and the surrounding suburbs, drawing inspiration from the Kochi water metro. According to Nitesh Rane, the Maharashtra cabinet's minister for ports and fisheries, the government intends to implement a passenger water transportation system similar to Kochi's.
"The Mumbai Metropolitan Region is the target of this water metro system," Rane stated, as reported by India Today. The Kochi Water metro authority will complete Maharashtra's Detailed Project Report (DPR), Rane added. Kochi has been given the task of preparing the DPR for the Mumbai system, said Rane. The research estimates that the project will begin in early 2026 and that the DPR will be completed in two months.
The 720 meters of coastline in Maharashtra that may have been used for such water transportation projects were never used. Despite the Maharashtra Maritime Board's encouragement, the project was launched.
The coastal road and other new infrastructure expansion plans have trumped a projected initiative to develop regions along Mumbai's western coast. Rough waves along the western seaboard, which prevented vessels from operating for over six months every year, and the expectation of low returns on investment were major factors in the project's stagnation.
Mumbai has water transit to the mainland, Navi Mumbai, and Alibagh on the east coast. However, other projects have been unable to access the area due to critical installations and defence presence. With 23 battery-powered boats navigating the interior waterways within and surrounding the city, Kochi, Kerala, became the first city in India to implement a water metro project in 2021.