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The Mumbai Port Authority (MbPA) has advanced its longstanding plans to revitalize the eastern waterfront by proposing the development of an international convention center alongside a commercial hub. Spanning 22 hectares out of the 966.30 hectares under its ownership, the project will utilize non-core port land. The initiative marks a significant move towards creating world-class trade and business facilities in Mumbai. Three potential sites have been shortlisted for this project, with further feasibility studies underway to shape a strategy for its execution. The project is part of a broader plan to unlock the eastern waterfront's potential.
Over a decade after the proposal to redevelop Mumbai's eastern waterfront was first introduced, the Mumbai Port Authority (MbPA) has now initiated concrete steps to bring this vision closer to reality. It has laid out plans to construct an international convention center coupled with a commercial zone on a 22-hectare parcel of land, drawn from the 966.30 hectares it holds along the city's coastline. Advertisement
The port authority has resolved to repurpose areas within the waterfront that are not critical to port-related operations, aiming to transform them for public and commercial use. As part of this effort, MbPA has recently invited consultants through an expression of interest. These consultants will be tasked with conducting a techno-economic feasibility study, preparing budgetary quotes, and providing advisory services for the development of the convention center and commercial complex.
According to MbPA's bid documents accessed by media sources, the project aspires to establish a trade fair and convention center aligned with international benchmarks. The facility is envisioned to serve as a permanent venue for exhibitions, conferences, conventions, and other business-centric activities, strengthening Mumbai?s position as a hub for trade and events.
Three locations have been identified for the project. The first is at Princess Dock's waterfront, where the Ro-Pax terminal is operational, connecting Mumbai to Mandwa in Alibag. The second site is near the Sewri landing point of the Atal Setu, where a casting yard was previously used during the sea link's construction, now decommissioned following the project's completion over a year ago. The third potential plot is situated nearby at Haji Bunder.
The scope of the feasibility study will encompass several components, including an assessment of demand potential, development of a commercialization strategy, SWOT analysis, design proposals, and cost estimations. It will also evaluate financial viability, determine the most suitable financial model, be it a public-private partnership (PPP), engineering-procurement-construction (EPC), or a special purpose vehicle (SPV), and identify avenues for revenue generation.
The larger initiative to rejuvenate Mumbai's eastern waterfront has seen sluggish progress. So far, developments have been limited to the reconstruction of the Mumbai International Cruise Terminal, the creation of a domestic cruise terminal, and the operationalization of the Ro-Pax terminal. The waterfront development project was initially proposed in 2014 when the BJP-led government came to power in the state, with the MbPA's land holdings stretching from Sassoon Dock at the city's southern tip to Wadala, offering the potential to unlock nearly 50 hectares for public and commercial use.
The 2014 Rani Jadhav Committee Report had recommended that large portions of this land be earmarked for affordable housing, public transportation infrastructure, gardens, promenades, and cultural spaces in line with sustainable urban development models. Environmental concerns have also posed challenges, as parts of the land fall under Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) restrictions and heritage conservation zones, requiring multiple clearances.
Notably, the MbPA's earlier efforts to enhance cruise tourism led to the modernisation of the Mumbai International Cruise Terminal and the Ro-Pax terminal connecting Mumbai and Mandwa, which has helped in promoting domestic sea connectivity.
The Mumbai Port Authority's move to finally act on the long-stalled eastern waterfront project signals a renewed commitment to repositioning Mumbai as a key destination for international trade and events. While the project is still in its preliminary phase, with studies and assessments underway, it marks a pivotal step toward unlocking a valuable swathe of land in the heart of the city.
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