India Maharashtra Masterplan

An ambitious plan to redevelop 1,800 hectares of Mumbai dockland could deliver the city’s first dedicated superyacht facilities.

- Jake kavanagh

AFTER MORE THAN 12 years of delays, a proposal to create a waterfront park around the eastern seafront of Mumbai docks has finally gained momentum. Part of the self-financing plan involves redeveloping a large tranche of open seafront, and amongst the ideas is to set aside 1km for a major marina project. There is strong speculation that this marina will be able to host several superyachts of up to 100m, and that the surrounding area will be re-crafted into a mix of open gardens and parks, all supplemented by ‘intelligent urbanisation’.

Mumbai is a city of over 12 million people, and like all overcrowded cities is in urgent need of some open spaces and affordable housing. The area in question is currently described as “a grey 28 km-long stretch marked by derelict warehouses, ship-breaking clusters, severely reduced port activities, fishing zones and scattered colonies for port workers.” In other words, prime development land.

Vast vision 

A government-commissioned report, finalized in November 2015, lays out a vision for the vast area of real estate, including ideas as to how it could be achieved. The public have also been consulted, and perhaps unsurprisingly have recommended that there be no commercial development. Memories run deep of a similar 600-acre project in the former mill district that was supposed to be given back to the people as parks and affordable housing, but mysteriously ended up in the hands of highend property developers.