Mumbai’s long-envisioned marina project, cleared by the Centre in 2025, has moved a step closer to reality with five major firms submitting bids for its development. Officially titled the Viksit Bharat Mumbai Marina project, the ₹887-crore initiative is planned as a world-class maritime facility at Mumbai Harbour and is expected to reposition South Mumbai as a global hub for luxury maritime tourism and the “blue economy”.
The project will come up over nearly 12 hectares and will be executed through a hybrid public-private partnership model. Under this structure, the Mumbai Port Authority (MbPA) will invest Rs 470 crore towards marine infrastructure, while the selected private operator will invest Rs 417 crore in developing onshore facilities. Once operational, the marina is projected to generate over 2,000 direct and indirect jobs, contributing to employment creation in tourism, hospitality and marine services.
The marina forms a key component of the much larger Eastern Waterfront Development Project, which seeks to unlock the economic and recreational potential of Mumbai’s eastern coastline. While the marina will function primarily as a maritime hub, its extensive onshore amenities are designed to turn the waterfront into a major tourism destination for both domestic and international visitors.
Among the standout features of the project is its luxury hospitality offering. Plans include a star-category hotel with 322 rooms, spread across approximately 27,000 square metres, along with a sprawling clubhouse covering 4,000 square metres. These facilities are intended to cater to high-end tourists, yacht owners and international sailing events, adding a new layer of premium leisure infrastructure to South Mumbai.
The project also places strong emphasis on maritime tourism and education. A dedicated marina terminal building will anchor the development, supported by the Namo Bharat International Sailing School and a maritime tourism development centre. These institutions are expected to promote sailing, marine sports and nautical training, while also positioning Mumbai as a serious player in global maritime tourism.
Public access to the waterfront is another key element of the marina’s design. A landscaped waterfront promenade with controlled public access and recreational amenities is planned to open up sections of the eastern coastline for leisure and community use, an area that has historically remained inaccessible to the public.
At its core, the marina will offer extensive yacht-related infrastructure. The facility will provide berthing for 424 yachts of up to 30 metres in length, along with dedicated yacht storage areas, stacking systems and specialised repair and maintenance yards. This scale of infrastructure is expected to support both private yacht owners and charter operators, helping Mumbai tap into a niche but fast-growing segment of luxury tourism.
Additional onshore infrastructure will include a multi-level car parking facility and a tourism business centre spread across 32,000 square metres, aimed at supporting ancillary services and commercial activities linked to the marina.
The Viksit Bharat Mumbai Marina project will be located within Mumbai Harbour, centred around the historic Princess (Princes) and Victoria Docks in South Mumbai. It is situated close to the passenger terminal at Bhaucha Dhakka (Ferry Wharf), on land owned by the Mumbai Port Authority, with primary access and onshore facilities planned in the Mazgaon area.
The marina is part of the broader Eastern Waterfront Development Project, an ambitious urban renewal plan covering around 1,800 acres (966 hectares) of underutilised port land. Stretching nearly 28–30 km from Colaba to Wadala, the project is being overseen by the MbPA and is expected to significantly reshape Mumbai’s eastern seafront over the coming years.
Source: News18
