The Mumbai Port Authority (MbPA) has taken a step towards developing an International Convention Centre (ICC) on the city’s eastern waterfront by inviting bids to appoint a consultant for preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR). The proposed project will feature convention and exhibition facilities along with commercial, hospitality and public spaces as part of the redevelopment of surplus port land.
According to the tender, the selected consultant will prepare a comprehensive DPR for the proposed International Convention Centre, which is envisioned as a world-class venue for conferences, exhibitions, conventions and other business events. Bids for the consultancy are to be submitted by July 30, while they will be opened on July 31.
The project is planned on vacant land owned by MbPA along Mumbai’s eastern waterfront. The port authority controls around 966 hectares of land in the area and intends to redevelop parcels no longer required for core port operations into destinations focused on business, tourism, recreation and public use.
The tender document states that multiple potential sites have been identified for the project. The appointed consultant will evaluate these locations before recommending the most suitable site based on technical, commercial and planning considerations.
MbPA envisions the International Convention Centre as a major venue that will strengthen Mumbai’s position as a leading destination for the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) industry. Besides convention and exhibition facilities, the project is expected to integrate commercial developments, hotels, public open spaces and waterfront promenades while retaining the area’s maritime character.
The identified sites benefit from connectivity through road, rail and water transport and are located close to Metro stations, the city centre and the Mumbai International Cruise Terminal, enhancing their potential as a business and tourism hub.
The consultant’s responsibilities will include conducting techno-economic and financial feasibility studies, assessing market demand, preparing architectural concepts, recommending the project mix and financial model, obtaining statutory approvals and providing transaction advisory services.
The scope of work also covers evaluating different development and concession models to maximise project viability, while advising the authority on project structuring and taxation aspects. MbPA said the assignment will require international technical standards and a detailed implementation roadmap.
The proposed convention centre forms part of the port authority’s broader plan to transform Mumbai’s eastern waterfront by redeveloping underutilised land into mixed-use commercial, tourism and public destinations.
The initiative aligns with the Centre’s Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 and Maritime India Vision, under which the eastern waterfront is being developed through projects such as a marina, cruise tourism infrastructure, water transport facilities and other urban developments. Once completed, the proposed ICC will become South Mumbai’s first international convention centre, complementing existing convention facilities at Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) and NESCO.
Source: The Free Press Journal
