MUMBAI: Mumbai Port is enabling Multimodal connectivity to promote Trade & Tourism, informed Shri Rajiv Jalota, IAS, Chairman, Mumbai Port Trust recently.

Ports are gateways to the countries' trade and economy. Bringing down the logistic costs is important objective of Government of India and this propels Government to formulate schemes for continuously finding ways to lower the transaction and logistic costs for goods and undertake various projects, especially by harnessing the maritime assets and resources of the country.

Various path breaking schemes and ambitious projects have been unleashed by the honorable PM in recent years in the form of Sagarmala & Maritime India Vision 2021, integrating the disperse logistics activities to make India a Maritime power house.

2.            Government of India now is launching an ambitious plan - National Maritime plan / Gati Shakti in the hands of the honorable Prime Minister of India on 13th October.  Being a premier port of India for nearly 150 years, Mumbai Port Trust held a leadership position by continuously undergoing transformation in its shape, facilities, technology etc. by adopting to the changing needs of ships and cargoes. Even JNPT, which is initially planned as a satellite port of Mumbai Port Trust, itself became one of the top most 30 container ports of the world.

3.            With a large mega polis surrounding Mumbai Port from all sides, there is an inevitable conflict between the Port’s cargo business and the City’s needs vis-à-vis congestion constraints. In an effort to achieve the vision of honorable Prime Minister of India,  to reach the benefits to common man, Mumbai Port Trust set the goal of seeking the harmony between the needs of the cargoes and ships on one hand with the needs of the city and citizenry. A slew of projects promoting multimodal connectivity is undertaken in Mumbai port towards this objective of reducing the congestion in the Mumbai City and to promote Trade and Tourism for the Country’s overall development.

4.            The multimodal connectivity in master plan has two distinct characteristics to be Atma Nirbhar Bharat, viz: A) Cargo related projects and  B) Sea Tourism related projects:

5.            Cargo Related: Main projects are as follows: -

(I)           Expanding the POL capacity:  The biggest crude oil jetty with a capacity of 22 Million Tonnes Per Annum is constructed at Marine Oil Terminal with pipeline connectivity for its evacuation. This project released other four jetties for more coastal traffic of P.O.L.

(ii)          Bunkering Terminal: In a layman’s terms, it is a petrol pump for ships. This project takes advantage of the over 5000 ships visiting the Mumbai Harbour annually, utilizing Pipelines connectivity for its evacuation.

(iii)         Facility for LNG handing: This project shall provide LNG as clean energy upto 5 Million Tonnes per annum without creating stress on land side facilities as the Floating Terminal would be in sea and evacuation of LNG would be through pipelines connectivity to National Grid.

(iv)         Barging of containers between JNPT and Mumbai: This project is to get more containers from JNPT through waterways connectivity, by covering only a distance of 14 kms, thereby eliminating a long road journey of 120 kms and its resultant pollution and road congestion

(v)          Coastal facilities:

(a)          Berth No. 10, 11 of Indira Dock along with a shed, are exclusively reserved for handling of coastal cargo.

(b)          Erection of temporary silos for bulk commodities of Cement Fly Ash on MbPT land by private parties. EOI is already invited.

(vi)         Most importantly to improve Rail connectivity to the dedicated rail freight corridor to Delhi, Mumbai port is reworking on its rail assets on two fronts. On one hand it planned to reorganize and upgrade the railway network and operations by handing over the rail assets to a purpose - built (dedicated) govt company - Indian Port Railway & Ropeway company Ltd and on the other hand to create a new rail line by venturing out of the port's limit to lay a dedicated rail line for port freight movement from Wadala to Kurla. This will relieve the suburban rail on Harbour line benefitting the commuters.

6.            Sea Tourism Related: Main Projects are as follows:

(i) International Cruise Terminal (ICT): The most important and ambitious project for Cruise Tourism, not only for Mumbai but for India, is the Mumbai International Cruise Terminal, which is under development at Ballard Pier extension berth at an estimated cost of Rs.500/- Crores. This terminal shall not only be used for Cruise ships, but also by the city folks as it will have retails, Restaurants, leisure areas and many more facilities.

(ii) 1 km. long Mumbai Port Waterfront at Prince’s & Victoria Dock Wall: This integrated water transport hub shall have all modern requirements for the leisure and commuting for city folks. This facility has a Ro-Pax Terminal and will include sea side Restaurants, Amphitheatre, Domestic Cruise Terminal, Marina, Floating Restaurants, Harbour Cruises, Water taxis, etc.

Ro-Pax Terminal: It is perfect example of harnessing water ways for commuting / tourist movements and reducing the road traffic. Ro-Pax services between Mumbai and Mandwa opens up a new commuter / tourist transportation connecting these two important nodes. This will be extended to connect to Navi Mumbai’s new upcoming airport. The Ropax ship is operating, bringing a huge relief for traveler combining Multimodal transportation of Roadways & Waterways.

(iii) Rope way between Sewree to Elephanta: The   World’s longest Rope way over the sea of approx. 8 Kms. shall be built in PPP mode costing about Rs.700/- Crores. This project will open up new travel   mode for the City’s population besides giving beautiful view of marine facilities like ships, Marine Oil Terminal, and the upcoming MTHL, with flamingoes, etc.