Spreading across 400,000 Sq ft with cost of Rs 3 bn Mumbai becomes ‘Global Cruise Destination’

Mumbai, January 12: Spreading across 400,000 sq ft at cost of Rs 3 billion makes Mumbai a Global Cruise Destination as Mumbai got the new International Cruise Terminal at Mumbai Port Trust. This International Cruise Terminal will have all the facilities like shopping malls, restaurants, hotels etc. 

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis along with Union Minister of Shipping Nitin Gadkari inaugurated this new International Cruise Terminal which will be ready by December 2019.

 

"Our aim is to make this place in Mumbai comparable with Miami," said Sanjay Bhatia, Chairman of the Port Trust.The port will also have a reception, check-in, immigration and security facility for over 700,000 tourists per annum. The new terminal, that will be upgraded and modernised, will be built on international standards to handle big size cruise vessels carrying 5,000 passengers.

 

Minister Nitin Gadkari, who handles road transport, highways, shipping and water resources, said the terminal would be a boost to the economy with international tourists spending $70-$100 (Dh260-Dh367) per day for the offshore excursion. It will also lead to the creation of jobs for locals.

The Arabian Sea and the seashore are the specialities of Mumbai and Maharashtra. This year, Mumbai has 80 cruises and 950 cruises will be in Mumbai for the next five years, said Union Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari while speaking during the ground puja of International Cruise Terminal in Mumbai.

Further, he said that Mumbai has huge travel capability. Gadkari gave information about various projects worth Rs 6,500 crores of Mumbai Port Trust. 27 projects in these projects are working in a phased manner and they will be inaugurated in the coming year. He informed that about 2.41 Lakh Crores of rupees are spent for Maharashtra's Sagarmala project.

There are 24 applications for Special Economic Zone. According to the JNPT Special Economic Zone, only one and a half lakh youth will be provided employment in the next three years and this youth will be from Raigad and Konkan areas, Gadkari said.

Minister Gadkari said that the Chief Minister should take a positive note about the new scheme to fill the 350 acres of land for setting up a garden for the farmers.

Later on CM Devendra Fadnavis said employment is the biggest challenge for the youth. They can achieve this goal only after investing in infrastructure. After accepting Gadkari's suggestion to fill the garden, said that the decision will be taken in this regard. He also said that the Mumbai Port Trust official will also be included in the Special Planning Authority.

According to the Ministry of Shipping, India’s outbound leisure tourism market is expected to cross Rs1 trillion by 2020.