Private yacht operators at Mumbai’s Gateway of India may receive financial relief following discussions over a proposed reduction in pontoon charges from approximately Rs 90 to Rs 50 per passenger. The proposal is being considered as a possible resolution to an ongoing dispute involving the operators, Mumbai Port Authority (MbPA) and the Royal Bombay Yacht Club (RBYC).
State Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar is mediating between the Yacht Operators Welfare Association (YOWA) and MbPA. “We are trying our best to arrive at a golden mean wherein both parties will be satisfied. We will ensure that it is halved from the existing rates,” he said. Sources within MbPA and RBYC confirmed that discussions were underway.
The disagreement emerged after Jetty No. 5, located opposite the Taj Mahal Palace hotel, was closed on structural safety grounds. An iron gate now blocks the concrete slipway that operators say they had accessed without charge for years, forcing them to rely on a paid floating pontoon to reach their vessels.
YOWA has approached the Bombay High Court, challenging the pontoon tariff and RBYC’s management of the facility. The association is seeking the removal of the gate, restoration of free slipway access and permission to use other jetties.
Operators Question Tariffs and Access Restrictions
According to the petition, operators have used the concrete slipway free of charge since 2006. A floating pontoon was introduced in 2019 as an optional facility, with tariffs approved in December 2020. YOWA argues that the structure installed in 2025 differs in ownership, cost and users, questioning whether the earlier tariff can legally apply.
“How can a tarift formulated in 2018 for floating hotels be applied to us? Why cannot our jetty be repaired, as other jetties have been recently?” asked YOWA joint secretary Chetan Rane.
Rane said operators were willing to pay legitimate charges but wanted reasonable rates comparable to those for catamarans. He added that speedboat tickets generally cost Rs 500–600 per passenger, making additional fees of Rs 90–100 a significant burden that could eventually be passed on to tourists.
Safety and Transparency Concerns
YOWA has questioned RBYC’s authority to manage Jetty No. 5 and collect fees, alleging the arrangement lacked a public tender. It has also sought structural assessment records, an independent safety audit, time-bound repairs and refunds of charges collected without legal authority.
Operators have raised concerns about access to other jetties and the pontoon’s connection to the existing structure. Some are willing to formalise operations through ticketing and pay applicable taxes, provided charges remain affordable.
MbPA and RBYC had not issued official responses when the source report was published.
Source: Times of India
