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Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Oppn slams MbPA on waterfront lease move, says citizens must benefit instead
MUMBAI: Opposition parties on Tuesday slammed the Mumbai Port Authority's decision to lease 215 acres of its land for up to 30 years, effectively shelving the grand plan to develop the eastern waterfront with world-class amenities such as entertainment and recreational spaces, a state-of-the-art marina, convention centres, water transport facilities, and a global business district. Mumbai, India. Aug 11, 2025: Erstwhile HPLC plot of Mumbai Port Trust (MPT) property opposite BPT Hospital in Wadala. MPT is inviting expressions of interest from eligible parties for leasing prime land parcels for industrial and commercial purposes on a long-term basis of 30 India. Au 11, 2025. (Photo by Raju Shinde/HT Photo) (Raju Shinde) Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray said, 'Why should someone sitting in New Delhi's government offices decide what happens to Mumbai's east coast? In 2013, Uddhav Thackeray ji placed a presentation in front of Mumbaikars, to get our east coast back from the MbPA. A committee was set up by (Nitin) Gadkari ji, which went on endlessly and was then abandoned.' The Sena (UBT) leader added, 'For a decade, the Union government has been harassing Mumbaikars with notices to evict them under the Public Premises Act, many of whom have been here as a family since pre-Independence times. Why should this land belong to the Mumbai Port Authority and not the BMC? Why shouldn't the BMC and our city earn revenue from it?' Thackeray alleged, 'The MbPA wants to evict fisherfolk at Sassoon Dock, is stalling redevelopment of BDD Chawl at Sewri, and now it wants to earn from our city.' The Congress too objected to the move. Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said, 'There must be an investigation into who will ultimately benefit from leasing the properties. This land belongs to India. Mumbai city was developed because of its ports.'' Clyde Crasto, national spokesperson of the NCP (SP), remarked, 'As shipping minister, Nitin Gadkari had asked MbPA to prepare a comprehensive plan for the holistic redevelopment of the waterfront. This piecemeal approach does not work for the city. There must also be transparency. Mumbai needs open spaces, which were in the original plan.' The eastern waterfront plan received a boost when Nitin Gadkari took over as Union transport and ports minister, after the NDA government assumed power in 2014. A committee was set up under then MbPA chairperson Sanjay Bhatia, to develop 966.3 hectares of idle land along the city's east coast, between Colaba and Wadala. The committee submitted its plan and, in December 2018, the MbPA (then known as Mumbai Port Trust) was appointed as the special planning authority for the project. The plan was, however, put on the backburner when Gadkari lost the ports portfolio in a cabinet reshuffle in 2019. The MbPA, which owns most of the land along this stretch, has instead decided to lease 215 acres along the coast for up to 30 years, exclusively for industrial and commercial purposes. In doing so, it aims to earn a minimum ₹814.04 crore in revenue annually. The port authority published an Expression of Interest (EOI) on Monday, offering 28 properties – 27 plots in Mumbai and one in Thal in Raigad district. The last date for submission is September 11. These properties include a 22-hectare plot at Princess Dock near the domestic cruise terminal; a 1.2-lakh sq m plot that once housed an HPCL facility in Wadala; a 42,955-sq m plot that used to house warehouses of the Food Corporation of India in Wadala; the Sewri Timber Pond, a cargo storage yard measuring 1.04 lakh sq m near the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link; among various other buildings it owns. Urban planners pointed to another major urban renewal plan, which aimed to balance public amenities, affordable housing and commercial development that was not implemented as intended. This was the plan to redevelop vast tracts of defunct mill land in Lower Parel, while safeguarding the interests of the mill workers. The plan, conceptualised in 1996, had recommended dividing the land into three portions – allocating one part for open spaces and amenities, another for mass public housing, and the third for commercial utilisation, which could be sold by mill owners. But when the plan was implemented, the then government decided that the three portions would be carved out of the open space on the mill properties, not the total land housing the mills. The mill owners then sold the space occupied by mills, giving rise to the largely commercial precinct we see today. Planners fear the eastern waterfront plan may meet the same fate. Will the waterfront go the Lower Parel way? Following the MbPA's decision to lease its idle land and structures, urban planners are asking whether the eastern waterfront will go the Lower Parel way. Now a busy commercial district that includes some residential layouts, Lower Parel was once the beating heart of Mumbai's textile trade. When the mills fell silent in the 1980s, vast stretches of prime land in Central Mumbai began to lie idle. Intending to monetise it, the government asked noted architect and urban planner, Charles Correa, to prepare a plan for the holistic development of the mill land, in 1996. Correa recommended dividing the land into three parts – one going to the mill owners for commercial development; the second for mass housing, for the mill workers; and the third for public amenities and infrastructure. The plan was never implemented in its original form. It was instead tweaked in favour of mill owners, who received way more than the land assigned to them. The result is the haphazard development of the precinct in the last 10 to 1 5 years, with largely commercial highrises dotting the skyline. The district lacks supporting infrastructure and the public amenities citizens were once promised. Today, narrow streets and traffic chaos defines Lower Parel, congested railway station areas and inadequate parking lots. Activists and planners fear the area under the MbPA, which was meant to be developed in a planned manner to the benefit of citizens, might meet the same fate.
Hindustan Times
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Maharashtra CM chairs meet with top security officials, stresses on cybersecurity
Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday held a high-level security review meeting with officials from the defence forces considering the recent tensions between India and Pakistan. The state government stressed the need for better coordination between the government and central agencies through effective sharing of intelligence, use of technology and precautionary steps, and also pushed for focus on cybersecurity and safeguarding the financial capital of India. The CM expressed the need for better and speedy coordination between state and central agencies in combating any attack and its preparedness. 'The precision and strength with which the Indian defence forces carried out Operation Sindoor was unprecedented. Mumbai, the financial capital of the country, is very important. We will need to work with full strength and for it the exchange of intel becomes extremely crucial,' he asserted. The meeting, held at the CM's official residence 'Varsha', was attended by senior officers from the tri-services, representatives from the Reserve Bank of India, Bombay Stock Exchange, Mumbai Port Trust, among others. 'Everyone will need to take greater care of cyber security. Senior officials from the state government and defence forces will have to work together in tandem for greater coordination,' he said. The meeting was attended by Lt General Pawan Chadha and Colonel Sandeep Seal from the army, Rear Admiral Anil Jaggi and Commander Nitesh Garg from the navy, Air Vice Marshal Rajat Mohan from the air force, along with deputy chief ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar and other state government officials. The CM had held a meeting of key government agencies and departments on Friday and asked them to set up war rooms and chalk out plans at district levels for awareness among people as the conflict between India and Pakistan intensified.
Hindustan Times
26-04-2025
- Hindustan Times
Navi Mumbai builder dies by suicide, blames NCB for 'harassing' him
Navi Mumbai: A prominent builder from Belapur died by suicide on Friday, with investigators linking the incident to the immense stress caused by his elder son's alleged involvement in a cross-border drug trafficking racket currently under probe by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB). According to the police, the incident occurred between 6.30 am and 6.45 am at the builder's office, located in the same building as his residence. He allegedly shot himself with a 9 mm pistol. The discovery was made by a relative, who alerted the authorities. Two notes were recovered from the scene — one, a detailed letter addressed to top political leaders and law enforcement officials, and the other, a handwritten chit believed to have been penned moments before his death. In the letter, written in Marathi, the builder narrated his life story — beginning as a dock worker with the Mumbai Port Trust for over three decades, before transitioning into the construction business. He described his journey from humble beginnings, his aversion to vice, and his pride in living a life of integrity. 'I never indulged in anything illegal or immoral,' the letter stated. 'Even when I had the occasional beer, I eventually gave that up. I lived addiction-free for years.' He recounted how he had invested heavily in his children's education, sending his elder son to London in 2012 to pursue postgraduate studies in psychology, even selling assets to support his dream. 'Even if I lost some wealth, I believed my children would build it back with honour,' he wrote. However, he expressed anguish over discovering — five years ago — his son's descent into questionable associations and alleged criminal activity. The revelation, he said, came as a devastating shock to both him and his wife. In response, he claimed to have severed ties with his son and even issued a public notice to that effect. Though the son had assured the family of turning over a new leaf, his alleged role in a recent international narcotics trafficking case proved to be the final blow. 'Authorities began treating him (the builder) as a suspect,' said a close family friend. 'He was under enormous pressure — he received at least seven summonses. The system made his life miserable even when he had no role to play.' The situation further deteriorated when NCB officials allegedly began implicating his younger son and referencing a nephew — now in Taloja jail — who previously worked as the builder's manager. The widening circle of suspicion reportedly left the builder mentally shattered. In his final letter, he accused the NCB officials and political figures of pressuring him for large sums of money in exchange for clearing his name. 'If I had earned or possessed such black money, I would have given it to protect my family's future. But I have no such money,' he wrote. Sources confirm the builder had been summoned thrice as part of the financial investigation against his son, who is wanted in connection with three separate drug seizures dating back to 2021. The latest breakthrough by the NCB involved the interception of a parcel containing 200 grams of cocaine, which led investigators to a stockpile of drugs at a Navi Mumbai location. The bust yielded over ₹200 crore worth of narcotics in the grey market, including cocaine, hydroponic weed, and cannabis-laced edibles. Four individuals believed to be part of the trafficking syndicate, which had alleged links to the United States, have been arrested. The NCB has also secured a non-bailable warrant against the builder's son and is pursuing an Interpol Red Corner Notice through the CBI. With inputs from Abhishek Sharan
Time of India
21-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
City to get new marina for 400 pvt yachts near Ferry Wharf
Mumbai: Food courts, shops, banquet halls and cafes besides cosy waiting lounges with a glass facade, alongside a world-class marina for private yachts, are expected to enhance the skyline of the city's eastern bay near Bhaucha Dhakka (Ferry Wharf). This area comprises the domestic cruise terminus and passenger cruise platforms. Union shipping minister Sarbananda Sonowal, while commissioning the new international cruise terminal building at the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) area at Ballard Pier Monday, announced that a 400-yacht capacity marina would be built soon by the MbPT. Currently, Mumbai has around 300 private yachts anchored around the Gateway of India and Radio Club in a haphazard manner. The MbPT on Monday awarded a 15-year contract to Hotel Airport Kohinoor Pvt Ltd to operate and maintain the passenger terminal and commercial facility at Ferry Wharf from where M2M ferries operate their Ro-Ro services to Mandwa. The Rs 29 crore land-lease contract will give Bhaucha Dhakka's passenger terminal a modern, efficient and passenger-friendly terminal integrated with a vibrant waterfront commercial experience. While the MMB will build a Rs 200 crore marina for public passenger boats or catamarans at the Radio Club near the Gateway of India, the new marina for the increasing number of private yachts will be built next to the domestic cruise terminus near the Ro-Ro service platforms of Ferry Wharf at an initial estimated cost of around Rs 550 crore. For public transport, the govt recently announced plans to buy 15 electric boats, similar to the Kochi water metro for the Radio Club marina. Meanwhile, the MbPT will also complete the construction of a new Ferry Wharf terminus for 1,200 fishing boats by the end of this year, said MbPT deputy chairman Aadesh Titarmare. The project is being built at a cost of Rs 140 crore. The existing platforms and jetties for fishing boats and trawlers at the wharf have become old and unsafe. This is expected to help increase not only the quantity of fish catch but its quality too. Sonowal also inaugurated the renovated Fire Memorial at Victoria Docks, as well as two refurbished heritage buildings—Fort House at Ballard Estate and Evelyn House at Colaba. Sonowal inaugurated the Sagar Upvan Garden in Colaba along with Shore-to-Ship Electric Supply under the Green Port Initiative too. At the same event, the minister handed a plot at Reay Road to the Hare Krishna Mission for a community kitchen. The Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority—India's largest container terminal—was handed office space in Mumbai for the first time, at Mallet Bunder. The event also saw Sonowal attending the signing of an MoU worth Rs 5,200 crore for building cargo and other infrastructure for the greenfield Vadhavan port. Shantanu Thakur, Union minister of state for shipping ports and waterways, was present as the guest of honour.
Deccan Herald
21-04-2025
- Business
- Deccan Herald
India's largest cruise terminal begins commercial operations in Mumbai
India's largest cruise terminal - the Mumbai International Cruise Terminal (MICT) commences commercial operations. @Shantanu_bjp @MumbaiPortTrust #CruiseBharatMision #CruiseTourism
