Mumbai (TAN): Residents of Mumbai, India’s commercial capital, will soon be able to use their cellphones to reserve not just flights and cabs but also boat rides. Transportation network company Uber has introduced UberBOAT service to connect Mumbai’s Gateway of India to Elephanta Caves and Mandwa Jetty near Alibaug.
The speedboat service that can be booked through the Uber app, is expected to start today, media reports said. Uber officials said the pilot project will operate on existing ferry routes around the seas of Mumbai.
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Prabhjeet Singh, Head of Cities, Uber India and South East Asia, said: “We aim to provide efficient and easily accessible services to riders who are looking at navigating through these specific routes. With this service, boat operators will be able to gain access to Uber’s highly engaged rider base and enhance their earning opportunity.”
Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) has partnered with the aggregator to provide the service to Mumbaikars. Vikram Kumar, CEO, MMB, pointed out that 5,000 app-based cabs transported riders between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai on an average each week. “Waterways between Navi Mumbai and south Mumbai will be a game-changer,” he added.
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Talking about the new service, Sanjay Bhatia, chairman, Mumbai Port Trust, said water transport between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai and other areas will lessen road congestion. He further added: “As we continue to reimagine the waterways of Mumbai through a host of ambitious projects and partnerships, we believe UberBOAT will play a pivotal role in improving connectivity and will work closely with Uber to make this pilot a success”.
UberBOAT fares and guidelines
Passengers can select from two options based on seating capacity.
- UberBOAT – they come with 6-8 seats and can be booked for INR5,700 each way
- UberBOAT XL – larger boats that can take 10 plus passengers can cost INR9,500 each way
While it will take the boats around 20 minutes to travel from one point to another, riders will have to reserve UberBOATs at least 15 minutes in advance. The service will be available from 0800 hours to 1700 hours, starting February 1.
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Second global launch of UberBOAT
While this is Uber’s first boat launch in India, it is not the first of its kind in the world — the company had introduced UberBOAT in Croatia in June 2017.
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