In an initiative that opened up the possibility of utilising vast tracts of the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) land for infrastructural development in Mumbai, Union Minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Thursday announced to set up an experts’ committee to suggest ways and means to put 1,800-odd acres of MbPT’s unused land to an effective use.
In an announcement made on the occasion of the 142nd Foundation Day of the MbPT, Gadkari said that the committee — to be headed by MbPT’s former chairperson Rani Jadhav — would comprise experts like urban planners, landscape artists and transportation specialists. The Director of the JJ School of Art and Maharashtra Urban Development Secretary would be among the members on the committee.
Gadkari said that the committee had been set a time-frame of three months to submit its report to his ministry. “The committee will hold public consultations and discussions before coming out with its recommendations,” he said.
Gadkari mooted a broad proposal for the committee to chew on in their impending deliberations on the development of Mumbai’s eastern seaboard. The proposed included among other things, to develop a world class cruise terminal, new waterways projects, a 500 room floating hotel to be anchored off the Raj Bhavan coast, three to four floating restaurants, a Ferris Wheel along the lines of london Eye and marinas and jetties to promote intra-city water transport in Mumbai.
Pegging the estimated land value of MbPT’s estate at a staggering `75,000 crore, Gadkari said that his ministry would not hand over the prime land to private builders. “Port land is a public property, and none of it will be given to private builders” he said.The Minister said that upon receiving the Rani Jadhav committee report, the Centre would float international bids and award the development project on BOT (Build, Operate, Transfer) basis.
Mumbai being the country’s commercial capital deserved to have world class infrastructure. “Mumbai generates large amount of revenue in the form of different taxes, it must get its due. The Centre will be supportive of all projects to improve Mumbai’s physical infrastructure,” the Minister said.Gadkari’s announcement about setting up a committee to suggest ways to put MbPT to land effective use comes less than a week after Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray unveiled a “development agenda” for Mumbai, a plank for the forthcoming Maharashtra Assembly polls
Under the “development agenda” for Mumbai, Uddhav had spoken about the effective utilisation of 911 acres of unused land belonging MbPT and other central agencies. He had proposed that the unused land be handed over the Shiv Sena-ruled Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) so as facilitate taking up of development projects like housing, industries, tourism etc. “The BMC is capable constructing a coastal road or a freeway on both shores – along the Marine Drive in the west and Wadala-Mankhurd in the east,” he said.
Within hours Gadkari came out with his plans for Mumbai’s eastern seaboard, Sena’s youth wing president Aditya Thackeray posted a message on Facebook thanking the Union Minister for his plans to develop east coast of Mumbai.
Alluding to the “Agenda for Mumbai” unveiled by his father Uddhav Thackeray last week, Aditya wrote: “After Uddhav ji publicly announced this project, he discussed it with Nitin Gadkari ji, the Minister for Shipping and Transport, who has given his acceptance for the project. Soon, an expert committee will be formed, not simply to ideate, but act”, He concluded it by saying that he was talking of development and not politics.
Earlier at the MbPT’s foundation day function, Gadkari announced the former transfer of 150 metre sea facing berth at the Indira Dock to Indian Coast Guard. The minister also made an announcement about the grant of sea-space at Girgaum Chowpatty to the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) its proposed amphibian sea-plane services.