In 2019, Mumbaikars can also wine and dine mid-water in the western suburbs. The Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) is currently looking for a private operator to start a floating restaurant at the Borivali creek in Gorai. After launching floatels in the southern part of the city and in Bandra, the board aims to promote coastal tourism further with this initiative.
At present, there are two operational floating restaurants near the Bandra-Worli Sea Link at Bandra jetty, and two more close to the Gateway of India. These projects were taken up by the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT).
Chief Executive Officer of the MMB Vikram Kumar said, "We are looking for private operators who can come up with floatels at the Borivali creek, Thane creek, and also at Belapur in Navi Mumbai. Also, earlier we had three floatels at the Bandra jetty but now, there are only two. We are planning a third floating restaurant at Bandra. All of this is directed at better coastal tourism in the state. We are open to various kinds of revenue sharing models from private operators for starting a floatel at the Borivali creek."
Out of the three floatels at the Bandra jetty, one capsized in the last week of May. The owners have not yet proposed to restart it.
Only a week ago, the MMB launched water sports at Vasai's Rajodi beach. It also appointed a private operator for jet skiing. "We will be starting such activities at the Versova beach after it gains success at the beaches in Juhu and Rajodi," an MMB official said.
DNA reported in November 2018 about MMB turning down proposals to start off-water sports activities at Malad's Aksa beach. The board said that the wave pattern was unsuitable for jet skiing, sofa rides, and banana rides.
However, the MMB finalised various activities in its Maharashtra Water Sports Policy, 2015, to promote coastal tourism. It drafted a host of models to regulate coastal water activities.
The MMB recently appointed a private operator to start ferry services between the Gateway of India and Nerul in Navi Mumbai via the Ferry Wharf in Mazgaon by mid-2019. In this regard, the private operator is already trying to procure a hovercraft — a kind of water vessel from Russian manufacturers that will carry around 100 passengers. Hovercrafts are used in areas where the water level is not quite high and that witness frequent low tides.
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