Speak up Mumbai: Leisure over safety: Is city ready for a floatel?

The Bombay High Court on January 8 rejected the plea of a private party, Rashmi Development Private Limited, to build a floating jetty to ferry passengers to and fro a floating hotel — floatel — off Marine Drive at Nariman Point. The court said that the Western Naval Command had never granted an NOC for the floating hotel, and cited concerns of increasing traffic in the area as the primary reason for rejecting the proposal. The Coast Guard too said that a security audit will have to be carried out before permission can be granted.

Following this, Union Shipping and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari during a public function on January 11 slammed the Navy for objecting to the construction. He went on to say that he won’t give an inch of land in south Mumbai to the Navy for staff quarters. The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation Limited (MTDC), a profit sharing partner in the project, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the developer to promote tourism. DNA spoke to experts and citizens on whether Mumbai needs a floatel.

EXPERT SPEAK

The area where the floatel was proposed is a heritage area. The Marine Drive promenade is an open space and has its scenic beauty. If there is a floatel, the crowd may create security concerns too. Recently I issued a circular for not conducting any activities in the space in front of the Marine Drive promenade near Islam Gymkhana. The open spaces there have their importance and should be left for the public to enjoy the scenic beauty. We considered these factors and our committee gave its views to the High Court and the proposal for the floatel was rejected.
—Ajoy Mehta, Commissioner, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation

Marine drive is a unique destination and soon it may be declared as a UNESCO World heritage site. The area has art deco buildings which add to the character of the area and this must be maintained. Constructing a floating jetty may not be in conformity with this and thus a different site should be selected.
—Advocate Rajan Jaykar, committee member, Girgaum Chowpatty Maintenance

VOICES

With lesser one-time investment and good business opportunities, a floatel might be a good idea for the city. An idea like this would largely benefit the hotel industry if it is properly implemented. Citizens would get a good destination for recreation within the city and it would also boost tourism to the area.
—Chandrakant Naik, Kalyan

Floatels are a welcome idea. They would not only promote tourism but also create employment opportunities. However, the government should ensure that they are in compliance with environmental norms and preference for jobs is given to the local populace. This could be the best gift Mumbai has received.
—Siddharth Gahoi, Vashi

Rather than giving permission to a floatel, the civic authority should try to strictly maintain the rules and regulations of hotels which are already functioning. Giving permission to a floatel will only cause more harm in terms of safety of patrons and the environment. The authorities should check the project in terms of security for the city before approving it.
—Jayshree Nagvekar, Andheri

Why not? Restaurants have gone beyond serving great food by creating experiential services for their customers. Having a floating hotel in Mumbai is an interesting concept. This would add to another unique experience for both Mumbaikars and tourists. I would love to have an experience of having dinner on the sea with Mumbai’s skyline in the background. Coastal states such as Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Goa already have floating restaurants so why not Mumbai?
—Naveen Nair, Thane

No, I don’t think the idea of a floatel is feasible considering the current scenario. Even if Mumbai needs a floatel, I doubt the BMC and the other authorities have the capability to ensure the safety of the people in such places. After the recent mishap at Kamala Mills, it’s clear that our system lacks the ability to manage such projects as the authorities are not capable to keep an eye on illegal constructions and activities in such places thanks to corruption. For now, a floatel seems to be a too far-fledged idea.
—Aakash Malpekar, Mulund

Mumbai is an international tourist destination hence we need a floating hotel. However, the owners must make sure that the hotel follows all the safety standards and be close to the dock. We shouldn’t stop our development because of one or two incidents. We should learn from previous incidents and take precautions so that they do not occur again.
—Roshan Kharvi, Andheri

I don’t think we need a floatel. Only one or two percent of the rich population can afford it as the prices will compete with five star hotels. Most people will not be able to enjoy it so what is the point? Even if one is to compare Mumbai to other world-class cities, at what cost? Our borders are not secure. We have seen terrorists coming from sea. Imagine what will happen if they are to take over such a floatel. I don’t think we are prepared for such an eventuality.
—Hansa Naik, Girgaum

The government’s aim to increase tourism and provide a floatel to the city is a good initiative. But the government should also ensure that the environment is protected and preserved before approving such a project. In case the floatel operators are negligent, it could lead to a tragedy. The authorities should ensure that environment safety norms are followed not just on paper but executed diligently. Moreover, the floatel should be accessible to all classes of people rather than making it affordable only to the high class society.
—Shabnam Khan, Kandivali