Mumbai Port initiates infra projects to make city an international tourism hub

The Mumbai Port Trust has initiated a slew of infrastructure projects that are going to change the face of island mega-city Mumbai as an international tourism destination. These include an International Cruise Terminal (ICT), a Port Waterfront, Ro-Pax services, and an eight-kilometre-long ropeway—the world's longest—between Sewri and Elephanta caves.

The Port is constructing an International Cruise Terminal (ICT) at Ballard Pier extension berth at an estimated cost of ₹500 crore. The terminal will not only berth cruise ships from across the globe but will also have retail stores, restaurants, leisure areas and many more facilities.

“The Port Trust has set the goal of seeking harmony between the needs of the cargoes and ships on one hand and the needs of the city (Mumbai) and citizenry on the other,” said Rajeev Jalota, chairman and managing director, Bombay Port Trust.

The Mumbai Port Trust's projects are part of Gati Shakti—a digital platform launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today in New Delhi—to bring 16 ministries including railways and roadways together for integrated planning and coordinated implementation of infrastructure connectivity projects, as part of a 'National Master Plan for Multi-modal Connectivity’.

The port is also developing a one-kilometre long Mumbai Port waterfront at Prince’s and Victoria Dock Wall as an integrated water transport hub—with all modern requirements for leisure and commuting for the people of Mumbai. The facility will have a Ro-Pax terminal and with seaside restaurants, amphitheatre, domestic cruise terminal, marina, floating restaurants, harbour cruises and water taxis. It will operate Ro-Pax services between Mumbai and Mandwa for commuters and tourists to ease road traffic in the city, and to promote multimodal transportation. This will be extended to connect to Navi Mumbai’s new upcoming airport, said a statement.

The port will also construct the world’s longest ropeway over the sea between Sewree to Elephanta caves—approximately eight kilometres long—in a public-private project (PPP) mode costing about ₹700 crore. This project will open up a new travel mode for the city’s population, besides giving a view of marine facilities like ships, marine oil terminal and the upcoming Mumbai Trans Harbour Link.

Besides, the port is constructing the biggest crude oil jetty with a capacity of 22 million tonnes per annum (MTPA); a bunkering terminal for the over 5,000 ships that visit the Mumbai harbour annually; a 5 MTPA floating LNG terminal, and a 14-kilometre barge sea route to bring containers from JNPT in Navi Mumbai to the Mumbai Port—which now takes about 120-kilometre travel by road.