New Maharashtra Transport Minister Proposes 15-16 Seater Cable Vehicle System To Ease Mumbai Traffic

Maharashtra’s newly-appointed Transport Minister, Pratap Sarnaik, announced plans to introduce a cable vehicle system in Mumbai and its surrounding areas to tackle the city’s persistent traffic congestion on Tuesday (24 December).

Sarnaik, who assumed charge of the ministry at Mantralaya, the state secretariat in south Mumbai, shared his vision of transforming the state’s transport system into a profitable and efficient entity.

"This is my vision," Sarnaik said, emphasising the need to prioritise both road and air transport services to position Maharashtra as a leader in these sectors.

As part of his proposed initiatives, Sarnaik plans to introduce 15 to 16-seater cable vehicles in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), inspired by Bangalore’s ropeway transport system.

"The Bangalore model will be studied and a detailed project report will be prepared and sent to Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari," he stated.

In addition to the cable vehicle system, Sarnaik outlined plans to modernize the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) bus depots, taking inspiration from Gujarat.

"The passenger services in Karnataka are also state-of-the-art," he noted, adding that efforts will be made to adopt successful practices from other states and implement them in Maharashtra.

Sarnaik also proposed several people-friendly initiatives, including travel concessions for senior citizens and women, aimed at enhancing public transport accessibility and convenience.

Highlighting the importance of air transport, the minister said, "The air passenger transport services will establish Maharashtra as the top state in the country."

The transport ministry will roll out these initiatives in phases, Sarnaik explained, noting that tough decisions would be made to streamline MSRTC operations and improve overall efficiency.