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Four bidders line up for Mumbai cruise terminal

Sanjay Bhatia, chairman of MbPT, said, "The four bids received on Friday were opened on Saturday. Our officials are now scrutinising the technical bid documents."

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The plan to modernise and expand the city's international cruise terminal has moved a step further with Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) receiving four bids for the project.

Among companies looking to bag the project include Aakruti Engineers, Paresh Constructions & Foundation, Oman-based firm Al Adrak Trading & Contracting and Ghunwant. Pegged at around Rs 197 crore, the project involves facelift and expansion of the Mumbai International Cruise Terminal (MICT).

Sanjay Bhatia, chairman of MbPT, said, "The four bids received on Friday were opened on Saturday. Our officials are now scrutinising the technical bid documents."

The project will be implemented in two phases; the first phase of the modernised MICT will be ready in 2018 while the second one would be ready for operations the following year. The modernised terminal will be spread over approximately two hectares.

The new terminal will have all facilities that passengers get at the airports and the designs for the project are ready.

MbPT will get the project executed either on engineering, procurement and construction basis or on cash contract basis. "Once ready, the operation and maintenance of the facilities at the cruise terminal will be on public-private partnership basis," added Bhatia.

As per the plans, during the initial year of implementation, facilities at the existing terminal at Ballard Estate will be upgraded and used for cruise tourism operations, and once the new terminal building is ready, berthing of all the cruise liners will be shifted there. During phase two, a portion of the existing terminal at Ballard Estate will be demolished and redone as part of the larger modernisation plan.

The facilities for passengers or visitors would include luggage check-in area, fast food joints, restaurant, coffee shops, branded retail outlets, airport-like security, etc.

Mumbai being the gateway to India for cruise tourism, there is a need to upgrade cruise-related infrastructure not only in the city but across India. Accordingly, the Ministry of Shipping has been focusing on it too.

As compared to the last cruise tourism season (October 2015 to May 2016) there has been an increase in ships visiting the western coast of India. Last season, 37 cruise vessels had come to Mumbai with international tourists. In the current season, there are 59 luxury liners either halting or commencing their operations from Mumbai.

The target for next year is around 100 luxury cruises and approximately a lakh passengers are expected to visit the cruise terminal in Mumbai. These luxury cruises, apart from visiting Mumbai also take sailing tourists to Goa, Kochi and Mangalore on India's western coast.

Interestingly, the government of Kerala and Cochin Port Trust have also been focusing on increasing inbound cruise sailings as part of the larger plans to promote cruise tourism in the country.

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