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INDIA'S 1ST CRUISELINER PORT TO COME UP IN NAVI

MUMBAI
By Yogesh Naik | Jan 29, 2012, 02.24 AM IST

A cargo ship docked at the current make-shift terminal

next to the Naval Dockyard
Indias first dedicated terminal for cruiseliners is all set to
come up at Nhava hills, 60 km from Mumbai and next to
Indias biggest container port at Nhava Sheva.
The Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) has accepted the
state governments request to build the state-of-the-art
terminal that can accommodate at least three large
cruise ships at the scenic 10 sq km Nhava Hills, which will
also house a plush five-star hotel and world-class Coast
Guard berthing facilities.
The JNPT, which was already looking to develop Nhava for
the extension of its cargo port facilities, has started
preparing a detailed project report for the proposed
terminal.
JNPTs deputy chairperson N N Kumar said, The new
terminal will have a large five-starHOTEL IN its complex.

We are planning to start catamaran services to

immediately transport tourists at the terminal to the
Gateway of India.
The terminals proximity to the proposed Navi Mumbai
International airport and Sewree-Nhava Transharbour link
will make it one of best and busiest cruise terminals in
the region.
Maharashtra Maritime Board has also been asked to
explore the possibility of a Marina with a capacity for
about 100 boats at Cuffe Parade. The costing of both
projects are yet to be worked out.
Maximum outbound tourism in the country is from
Mumbai and a dedicated cruise terminal will be beneficial
to the travel industry. The proposed site is very far, but
the upcoming transharbour link will provide quick
connectivity. Moreover, the terminals location also
means heavy tourist flow both to and from Pune, Goa and
Bangalore, Jay Bhatia, chairman for the Travel Agents
Association of India, said.
In India, Kumar said, cruiseliners do have docking
facilities at Mumbai and Kochi. But both terminals are
make-shift and lack even the most elementary facilities
such as proper toilets.
At Mumbai, the passengers alight at an old building next
to the Naval Dockyard, which is shabby at best. The
Union government had approved developing the building
into a dedicated cruise line terminal, but the Navy shot
down the plan as it was coming in its operational area, an
IAS officer said. In fact, another project of a marina at

Apollo Bunder by Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) ran aground

for the same reason.
The crumbling port infrastructure and lack of space in the
city prompted the state government to look outside the
city and Nhava hills became a logical choice.
A fortnight ago, Chief Secretary Ratnakar Gaikwad
conducted a meeting of senior state bureaucrats and
decided to request JNPT for a cruise terminal at Nhava.
Till a decade ago, poor facilities and strict taxation regime
was forcing cruiseliners to look to other South Asian
countries, which cashed in on the opportunity.
While the taxes have been eased a little, the facilities for
passengers at MbPTs terminal next to the Naval
Dockyard are abysmal. So now we will have to look
outside the city, a senior official said.