Mumbai High Court allows power boat event organiser to build temp jetty at Chowpatty

Though the Mumbai High Court gave green signal to the international level power boating event to build a temporary jetty at Girgaon Chowpatty on Wednesday, a three-member High Power Committee of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) denied permission to set up stage or any kind of temporary arrangements on the iconic Marine Drive Promenade. Civic sources said that the High Power Committee, appointed by the High court on Wednesday, declined the permission because it would set a precedent for others event organisers, who would seek permission on the basis of this event, which goes against the larger interest of the people.

A civic official, on the condition of anonymity said that the Marine Drive promenade was an iconic public space visited by international and national tourists as well as citizens of Mumbai. The decision taken by the High Power Committee will be given as written orders to event organisers on Thursday. "They are going to occupy more than 15,000 sq. ft. space on the promenade for three days. They will put up advertisements and banners and posters of sponsors. Stage is going to be set up. High Power Committee was apprehensive about giving permission as there several such national and international events keep happening in the megapolis. Once the permission is given, it will set the precedent for other events too", the official said, adding that the High Power Committee was set up by High Court after a resident from the area had approached the High Court when Yuva Sena president Aditya Thackeray installed an open gymnasium on the promenade with the help of actor Dino Morea.

Observing that Mumbaikars cannot be deprived of an international level power boating event for petty reasons raked up by the City Collector and the BMC, the Bombay High court on Wednesday allowed the building of temporary jetty at Girgaon Chowpatty. 

Procam International Private Limited is organising a three-day Power boat, Indian Grand Prix of the seas event at Marine Drive, between March 3 and 5. It had approached the Court seeking permission to construct a
temporary jetty and access road for three days at Girgaon Chowpatty.

A division bench of Justice VM Kanade and Justice PR Bora came down heavily on the city collector and the BMC. It said "The corporation is not concerned about unauthorised construction and bad roads but wants to obstruct a power boat event to be held in the seas." 

Regarding the Collector's denial of permission, the commitee said, "When the government is talking about globalisation, then why hold up such an event? MTDC has proposed to develop tourism along the coast of Maharashtra, even the Government of India has proposed to promote tourism. In such a scenario, the collector should have approached us and not halted the event. As it is, the appointed commitee is only recomendary in nature."

The bench allowed the event and directed the petitioner to build the temporary jetty and a cabin, ensure that view of the beach is not blocked and the structure is dismantled within 48 hours. It observed that "state should not look at the event from a narrow mind. But help in promoting tourism which will increase due to this International sports event."

Procam International, under the aegis of Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM) and P1 Global, will have seven teams (with two boats each) competing on a tailor-made 5.2 km course —this is being done for the first time.

The organisers had approached the High court appointed High Power Committee earlier in February, seeking permission to build a temporary jetty in the sea and access the road near the Parsi Gate at Chowpatty.
The Committee had rejected its proposal twice. So the organisers approached the High Court with a revised proposal and request to direct the City Collector and the court appointed committee to accept it.

The organisers requested that since the event was to be held this week and all the boats and other equipment required had already arrived, the permission for building the temporary jetty be granted to them. Moreover, the Maharashtra Tourism Development Authority had also agreed to the event, thus the permission should not be denied. The organisers also undertook the responsibility of dismantling the jetty and the access road a day after the event is concluded. 

The unique feature of this newly launched series is that all the teams would have to compete in completely identical P1 Panther boats specially designed to be able to race in just six feet water. They can reach a maximum speed of 120km/hr on water.