NEW DELHI: Road transport and shipping minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday said that Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Mumbai will get the first bus that can run on water surface, a move that will push more tourism activities in ports.

Only few days back the minister had talked of floating hotels, a ferris wheel and marinas and jetties to promote intra-city water transport in Mumbai.

Sources said that there are few international spots where such buses ply on water only for a short distance. These spots are major tourist attractions.

“The feasibility of this project will be studied. Usually, such services are offered by private players. We can facilitate for such a project,” said a shipping ministry official.

He admitted that the matter recently came up for discussion. JNPT officials were not available for any comment on this.

Interacting with industry leaders Gadkari said his ministry will push for more seaplane service to promote tourism across the country. “To give a fillip to this initiative we are proposing to set up a sea port authority which will have representatives from aviation and shipping ministry,” the minister said.

Sources said Gadkari also discussed these projects in his interaction with the BJP MPs from over half a dozen states including Maharashtra, J&K in the past two days. Already he has cleared the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation proposal to launch seaplane services from Girgaon Chowpatty to Juhu Chowpatty.

A shipping ministry source said that they can help set up platforms and small runway for choppers to take off from the sea and this can be extended to other parts of the country.

