UberBOAT Is A Costly Alternative
Offering an alternative to the state ferry service from Mumbai to Mandwa on mainland Maharashtra, Uber, in partnership with Maharashtra Maritime Board, launched the UberBOAT service - a six-seater speedboat which could be booked by riders before boarding calling it a ‘game-changer’ for Mumbai. A ferry journey from Gateway of India to Mandwa jetty or Elephanta Island is expected to be complete within about 20 minutes as compared to ferries that take nearly an hour. Uber plans to introduce services from Navi Mumbai too in the future to slash down the travel time from the few hours in a local train to less than half an hour by sea.
Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) chairman Sanjay Bhatia announced that “MbPT aims to create a world-class infrastructure for water transport and sea tourism that will make Mumbai the country’s hub for sea transport and tourism.”
That the price for the one-way six-seater trip is Rs 5,700 @ Rs 950 per one-way trip per person and Rs 1,900 for a two-way trip may not be within reach of locals is swiftly lost on the authorities with convenient disdain. “How many people who commute on a daily basis for work can afford the trip?” says Mandwa local Vishnu Koli from Saral, who commutes through a local ferry service daily from Bhaucha Dhakka in Mumbai @ Rs 70 each way.
This report has been prepared for DraftCraft International’s flagship initiative The Public Space Project in conjunction with its pilot endeavours - The Right To Walk Project, The Gateway of India Project and The Elephanta Island Project to research, analyse and determine the rights of the common man, the pedestrian, the tourist and the rights of the masses availing public transportation in contrast to those privileged few owning private vehicles. The initiative examines laws and policies regarding transport, access to public spaces and privacy guaranteed to all by the State in context of the Right To Equality, Freedoms and the Right to Life.
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| Travelling by an UberBOAT is a hugely steep affair |
Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) chairman Sanjay Bhatia announced that “MbPT aims to create a world-class infrastructure for water transport and sea tourism that will make Mumbai the country’s hub for sea transport and tourism.”
That the price for the one-way six-seater trip is Rs 5,700 @ Rs 950 per one-way trip per person and Rs 1,900 for a two-way trip may not be within reach of locals is swiftly lost on the authorities with convenient disdain. “How many people who commute on a daily basis for work can afford the trip?” says Mandwa local Vishnu Koli from Saral, who commutes through a local ferry service daily from Bhaucha Dhakka in Mumbai @ Rs 70 each way.
This report has been prepared for DraftCraft International’s flagship initiative The Public Space Project in conjunction with its pilot endeavours - The Right To Walk Project, The Gateway of India Project and The Elephanta Island Project to research, analyse and determine the rights of the common man, the pedestrian, the tourist and the rights of the masses availing public transportation in contrast to those privileged few owning private vehicles. The initiative examines laws and policies regarding transport, access to public spaces and privacy guaranteed to all by the State in context of the Right To Equality, Freedoms and the Right to Life.
